Increasing productivity: Genome-edited rice varieties to boost yields

Critically, gene-editing technologies like SDN1 do not introduce foreign deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), distinguishing them from traditional genetically modified (GM) organisms

India’s recent release of two genome-edited rice varieties marks a significant milestone in agricultural innovation. Developed by using Site Directed Nuclease 1 (SDN1) genome-editing technology, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1 not only promise yield increases of up to 30 per cent but also offer a response to the country’s intertwined challenges of food security, environmental degradation, and regional agricultural imbalances. Both the rice strains promise results better than their parent varieties, Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204) and Cottondora Sannalu (MTU-1010), respectively. What makes these genome-edited rice varieties particularly attractive is the host of agronomic advantages they offer.