{"id":370496,"date":"2026-08-27T20:28:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T14:58:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=370496"},"modified":"2026-08-27T20:28:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T14:58:18","slug":"indias-gene-edited-rice-is-ready-for-the-fields-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/indias-gene-edited-rice-is-ready-for-the-fields-2\/","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s gene-edited rice is ready for the fields"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: The post \u201cIndia\u2019s gene-edited rice is ready for the fields\u201d has been created based on “India\u2019s gene-edited rice is ready for the fields\u201d published in \u201cBusiness Line\u201d on 27th July 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n

UPSC Syllabus: GS 3- Indian Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Context: <\/strong>India has developed two genome-edited rice varieties, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)<\/strong> and Pusa Rice DST1<\/strong>, using SDN-1 genome editing<\/strong>. Pusa Rice DST1 is expected to enter commercial production in the upcoming rabi season<\/strong>, with transplanting around November.<\/p>\n

About the Two gene-edited rice varieties<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Pusa Rice DST1<\/strong> was developed by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi<\/strong> from the established MTU1010<\/strong> variety.<\/li>\n
  2. It targets the Drought and Salt Tolerance (DST) gene<\/strong> to improve the plant\u2019s ability to tolerate drought and salt-affected soils.<\/li>\n
  3. ICAR field trials reported 9.66% to 30.4% yield advantages over MTU1010<\/strong> under different saline and alkaline conditions.<\/li>\n
  4. It is expected to be grown in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  5. DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)<\/strong> was developed by ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad<\/strong> from the popular Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204)<\/strong> variety.<\/li>\n
  6. Scientists edited a gene involved in cytokinin metabolism<\/strong> to increase the number of grains produced by each panicle.<\/li>\n
  7. Kamala matures in about 130 days<\/strong>, around 20 days earlier than Samba Mahsuri<\/strong>, and has a stronger stalk that is less prone to lodging.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Importance of these varieties <\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. They aim to increase rice production<\/strong> while reducing the pressure of rice cultivation on water and the environment<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    2. Pusa DST1 can improve rice cultivation in drought-prone and salt-affected soils<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    3. Kamala\u2019s shorter duration can contribute to resource-use efficiency and climate resilience<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    4. Kamala also has a stronger stem<\/strong>, reducing the risk of lodging.<\/li>\n
    5. Thus, both varieties are intended to make rice cultivation more climate-resilient<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    6. They are developed by making targeted changes in existing rice varieties<\/strong>, rather than creating completely new plants from scratch.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Gene editing vs GM crops<\/strong><\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Both technologies alter the DNA of plants, but they differ mainly in the nature of the genetic change and the presence of foreign genetic material<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      2. Traditional transgenic GM crops<\/strong> involve insertion of genetic material from another organism into the plant.\n
          \n
        1. For example, Bt cotton<\/strong> contains genes derived from Bacillus thuringiensis<\/em>, enabling it to produce proteins toxic to certain pests.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
        2. Genome editing<\/strong> can instead make a targeted change in a gene already present in the plant.\n
            \n
          1. SDN-1<\/strong> disrupts a target gene through small insertions or deletions produced during repair of a targeted DNA break.<\/li>\n
          2. SDN-2<\/strong> uses a repair template to introduce a specific small change in the plant\u2019s DNA.<\/li>\n
          3. SDN-3<\/strong> can introduce a new genetic sequence and therefore remains outside the exemption available to SDN-1 and SDN-2.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
          4. In 2022<\/strong>, India amended its guidelines and exempted SDN-1 and SDN-2 modifications from the same rigorous process applicable to SDN-3 plants, provided the relevant plants are free of transgenes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
          5. Both new rice varieties have been developed through SDN-1 genome editing<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Concerns associated with gene-edited rice<\/strong><\/h2>\n
              \n
            1. The absence of foreign genes does not by itself complete the scientific assessment of a gene-edited crop.<\/li>\n
            2. Questions have been raised about whether the publicly available evidence sufficiently explains the mechanism behind the reported yield gains<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
            3. There are concerns about whether the claimed advantages will remain consistent across different environments and locations<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
            4. Large yield improvements across diverse locations could potentially involve trade-offs in other traits<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
            5. Unintended mutations may alter patterns of gene function and could potentially cause unintended biochemical changes.<\/li>\n
            6. Such unintended changes in food crops could include the production of unexpected toxins or allergens<\/strong> or changes in nutritional value<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
            7. Wider availability of the underlying scientific evidence would enable greater independent scientific scrutiny<\/strong> of the reported benefits and mechanisms.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Biosafety assessment and regulatory experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                \n
              1. The government states that the varieties underwent biosafety scrutiny<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
              2. They were assessed for the absence of foreign DNA<\/strong>, stability of mutations and robustness of the phenotype.<\/li>\n
              3. They were tested at more than 50 locations each during 2023 and 2024<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
              4. Unlike GM crops, gene-edited seeds are stated to be similar to normal seeds in the sense that farmers need to purchase them only once or when required<\/strong>, rather than necessarily purchasing new seeds every season.<\/li>\n
              5. Bt cotton remains India\u2019s only GM crop approved for commercial cultivation<\/strong>, with GEAC approval in 2002.<\/li>\n
              6. Bt brinjal<\/strong> cleared the regulatory process in 2009 but was not approved for commercial cultivation.<\/li>\n
              7. GM mustard<\/strong> received conditional environmental clearance from GEAC, but became involved in a Supreme Court case.<\/li>\n
              8. Concerns around GM mustard include possible effects on honeybees<\/strong> and implications for organic honey exports to the US and EU, where strict non-GMO certification is required.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                Global developments<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                  \n
                1. Regulators in several countries are increasingly distinguishing transgene-free gene-edited crops<\/strong> from conventional GMOs.<\/li>\n
                2. The US and Canada<\/strong> have allowed products such as gene-edited anti-browning potatoes and high-oleic soybeans.<\/li>\n
                3. Japan<\/strong> has approved gene-edited foods such as high-GABA tomatoes.<\/li>\n
                4. The UK\u2019s 2023 Precision Breeding Act<\/strong> created a separate regulatory pathway for gene-edited crops.<\/li>\n
                5. The EU adopted a new framework in July 2026<\/strong> for plants developed using New Genomic Techniques, under which Category 1 crops involving changes that could occur naturally are exempted from stricter GMO rules.<\/li>\n
                6. This EU framework is expected to be fully implemented by 2028<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  Conclusion: <\/strong>India\u2019s gene-edited rice represents an attempt to combine higher productivity, climate resilience and efficient resource use<\/strong>. Pusa DST1 focuses particularly on drought and salinity tolerance<\/strong>, while Kamala focuses on higher grain production, shorter duration and stronger stems<\/strong>. However, commercial introduction should be accompanied by robust biosafety assessment, transparent scientific evidence and wider scientific scrutiny<\/strong> to ensure that the claimed benefits are sustained without unintended consequences.<\/p>\n

                  Question:<\/strong> With reference to India\u2019s gene-edited rice varieties, discuss their significance, the distinction between gene editing and GM crops, and the concerns associated with their introduction.<\/p>\n

                  Source: <\/strong>Business Line<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  Source: The post \u201cIndia\u2019s gene-edited rice is ready for the fields\u201d has been created based on “India\u2019s gene-edited rice is ready for the fields\u201d published in \u201cBusiness Line\u201d on 27th July 2026. UPSC Syllabus: GS 3- Indian Economy Context: India has developed two genome-edited rice varieties, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa Rice DST1, using… Continue reading India\u2019s gene-edited rice is ready for the fields<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10320,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230],"tags":[12044,216,8184],"class_list":["post-370496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","tag-business-line","tag-gs-paper-3","tag-indian-economy","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/370496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=370496"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/370496\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=370496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=370496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=370496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}