Lok Sabha Question No. 1829 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-06
Subject: Conventional Plant Breeding
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA, S.P. MUDDAHANUMEGOWDA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1829

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06/03/2018

## CONVENTIONAL PLANT BREEDING

## 1829.  SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA: SHRI S.P. MUDDAHANUME GOWDA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the conventional plant breeding has given the country a sustainable  agricultural  production  in  major  crops  like  rice  and  wheat  and  if  so,  the details thereof;

(b) whether it is a fact that farmers have quickly adopted good varieties which have better adaptation and yields and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) whether it is also a fact that GM technology is the most viable option to get self sufficiency in foodgrains and if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h

## (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) Yes,  Madam. The crop varieties  developed through conventional plant breeding system  have  given  impetus  for  sustainable  agricultural  production  in  major  crops including rice and wheat. The productivity of rice and wheat has increased manifold from 668 kg/ha and 663 kg/ha in 1950-51 to 2404 kg/ha and 3093 kg/ha, respectively in 201516.  Wheat  and  rice  varieties  developed  through  conventional  breeding  methods  of hybridization and selection have led to productivity gains in India and abroad starting the era of Green Revolution in mid 1960s. National Agricultural Research System (NARS) is entrusted  to  develop  high  quality  and  high  yielding  varieties  suited  to  different  agroclimatic  conditions  of  the  country.  Since  1969  till  January  2018,  4723  improved  field crop varieties have been developed which include highest number in rice (1021) followed by  wheat  (395).    Most  of  these  varieties  have  been  bred  through  conventional  plant breeding.

(b) Yes,  some  of  leading  examples  where  varieties  have  become  popular  in  a  very short span of time due to their high yield potential and better adaptation are as under:

-  Wheat flagship variety HD 2967 (2011), has currently occupying about 10 million ha area across the country and unprecedented breeder seed demand has been witnessed which  has  touched  3600  quintals  during  2017-18,  highest  ever  demand  of  a  single variety in the history of Indian agriculture.
-  Pusa Basmati 1121 (2008), a landmark variety has become  extremely popular in the foreign market due to its superior grain and cooking quality. Approximate cumulative earning due to export of PB 1121 and its domestic share during 2008 to 2016 has been estimated to be ~US $ 20.80 billion (Rs. 1.5 Lakh Crores).
-  Sugarcane variety Co-238 (2009), which has an average sugar recovery of upto 12% has achieved a coverage of more than 14.75 lakh hectares in UP, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand  and  Bihar  in  a  very  short  span  of  time.  The  variety  is  responsible  for production of 21.72 and 0.873 million tons additional sugarcane and sugar, respectively. This led to additional income of ~Rs. 65,505/- million and ~Rs. 27,913/million  to  farmers  and  sugar  industries,  respectively  in  UP,  Punjab,  Haryana  and Bihar since 2013-14.

Some more widely adopted landmark varieties bred conventionally in wheat and rice are as under:-

Wheat: HD 2329, WL 711, UP 2338, WH-147, WH 542, PBW 343, HD 2967, HD 3086 etc.

Rice: IR-8, Jaya,  Swarna,  Pusa Basmati 1, Pusa Basmati-1121, Pusa-1509, Swarna Sub 1, Samba Mahsuri, MTU 1010, Pusa-44  etc.

Newly released varieties are demonstrated at farmers' fields through many Govt. sponsored extension schemes viz., Front Line Demonstrations, On farm trials, Tribal sub plan  (TSP),  Bringing  Green  Revolution  in  Eastern  India  (BGREI),  National  Food Security  Mission  (NFSM)  and  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY)  which  help  in faster popularization of these varieties among the farmers.

(c) Crops are exposed to a number of biotic and abiotic stresses at different stages, which lead to poor productivity vis-à-vis low production. There are some traits which are not available in nature in the plant genetic resources or wild relatives of a crop, due to which the improvement through conventional plant breeding is not to the expected level leading to reduced yields. Some of such biotic and abiotic stresses in different crops are insects,  diseases,  weeds,  heat,  salinity,  frost,  water  logging  etc.    Among  the  available technologies, GM technology has the potential to introgress resistance through transgenes for  a  particular  biotic/abiotic  stress  viz.,  pest  and  disease  resistance,  abiotic  stresses tolerance and also quality traits in different crops including food grains.

Bt cotton is the only transgenic crop approved for cultivation in India subsequent to  extensive  evaluation  and  regulatory  process. Bt cotton  was  introduced  primarily  for bollworm  control.  All  India  average  yield,  which  was  189  kg  lint  per  ha  in  2001 increased to 504 kg lint/ha in 2015 due to introduction of GM cotton.

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