The Hindu BusinessLine reported that India developed two genome-edited rice varieties — DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa Rice DST1 — in 2025. A year after its announcement, the government is set to release Pusa Rice DST1 for commercial production in the upcoming rabi season, with transplanting around November.
Two varieties, one purpose
According to The Hindu BusinessLine, the two varieties are not completely new rice plants created from scratch; scientists started with established varieties and made targeted changes to particular genes. The new varieties are intended to increase production while reducing the pressure that rice cultivation applies on water and the environment.
Pusa DST Rice 1 is derived from MTU1010, a variety suited to the rabi season in southern states. 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. The variety was developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. The edit targets the Drought and Salt Tolerance (DST) gene, aiming to improve the plant's ability to cope with drought and salt-affected soils. ICAR reports yield advantages of 9.66 per cent to 30.4 per cent over MTU1010 under different saline and alkaline conditions in its field trials.
DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) was developed by ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, from the popular Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204) variety. Scientists edited a gene involved in cytokinin metabolism to increase the number of grains produced by each panicle. The variety matures about 20 days earlier than Samba Mahsuri, in around 130 days, and has a stronger stalk that is less prone to lodging.
| Feature | Pusa Rice DST1 | DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | ICAR-IARI, New Delhi | ICAR-IIRR, Hyderabad |
| Base variety | MTU1010 | Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204) |
| Target gene | Drought and Salt Tolerance (DST) | Cytokinin metabolism gene |
| Reported yield advantage | 9.66%–30.4% over MTU1010 under saline/alkaline conditions | — |
| Maturity | — | ~130 days, about 20 days earlier than Samba Mahsuri |
Genome editing vs GM crops
The Hindu BusinessLine explained that both genetic modification and genome editing alter DNA. The important difference is what kind of change is made and whether foreign genetic material is incorporated into the final plant. Traditional transgenic GM crops, such as Bt cotton, have genetic material from another organism inserted into the plant — Bt cotton contains genes derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis that enable the plant to produce proteins toxic to certain pests. Genome editing, by contrast, can be used to make a targeted change to a gene already present in the plant.
India's regulatory framework distinguishes between different forms of genome editing:
- SDN-1 involves disrupting a target gene, generally through small insertions or deletions produced when the plant repairs a targeted DNA break.
- SDN-2 uses a repair template to introduce a specific small change in the plant's DNA.
- SDN-3 can introduce a new genetic sequence and therefore remains outside the exemption given to SDN-1 and SDN-2.
In 2022, India amended its guidelines for genetically modified plants and exempted modifications arising out of SDN-1 and SDN-2 from the same rigorous process as SDN-3 plants. However, the 2022 standard operating procedures specifically note that the SDN-1 and SDN-2 plants covered by the exemption must be free of transgenes. The two rice varieties have been developed by SDN-1 genome editing.
Concerns remain
The Hindu BusinessLine reported that a scientist who has worked on rice gene editing for nearly 30 years, and who asked not to be named, said the absence of a foreign gene was not, by itself, the end of the scientific assessment. The scientist questioned whether the evidence publicly available was sufficient to explain the mechanism behind the reported yield gains and whether the claimed advantages would hold across different environments.
Sources:
