India has become the first country in the world to develop and release genome-edited rice varieties, marking a significant milestone in agricultural innovation. On May 4, 2025, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched two new varieties developed by ICAR institutions in New Delhi.
The two rice varieties are:
- DRR Dhan 100 Kamala – derived from Samba Mahsuri, matures 15–20 days earlier, and yields 25% more than conventional varieties.
- Pusa DST Rice 1 – salinity and alkalinity tolerant, offering 30% higher yields in saline conditions.
These varieties are designed for states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh. Their cultivation over 5 million hectares is projected to produce an additional 4.5 million tons of paddy.
The innovation is seen as a crucial step toward climate-resilient, high-yield agriculture, potentially triggering a second green revolution in India.
