Lok Sabha Question No. 1785 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-10
Subject: Benefits of Genome Edited Rice Varieties
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1785

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## BENEFITS OF GENOME EDITED RICE VARIETIES

## 1785.  SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the genome editing;
- (b) whether it is true that India has recently released world's first genome edited rice varieties;
- (c) the way by which the two varieties -DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1 -game changer in sustainable agriculture;

(d) the quantum of additional Paddy production could be achieved with the above varieties, the extent to which water per hectare can be saved and to what extent to which these new varieties are climate-resistant; and

- (e) whether it is true that the above varieties are suitable to only selected States including Andhra Pradesh, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण राज्य मंत्री (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY)

(a): Genome editing is a breeding tool to make targeted and precise editing (mutations) in any genome (DNA). This is a refined and improved version of earlier practiced mutation breeding wherein  DNA  of  plants  or  animals  was  randomly  edited  or  mutated  using  chemicals  and radiations.

(b): Yes. It is true that India has released world's first rice varieties by genome editing viz., DRR Dhan 100 (KAMALA) and Pusa Rice DST1.

(c): DRR Dhan 100 being a genome edited variety give significant 14.12 % enhancement in grain yield over its parent variety, Samba Mahsuri. Pusa Rice DST1 variety demonstrates a yield advantage of 14.66%, 9.66%, and 30.36% under alkalinity, inland salinity and coastal salinity adaptation zone, respectively over MTU1010.

Cultivation of DRR Dhan 100 provides higher productivity, reduced crop duration, lower water  and  fertilizer  requirements,  and  reduced  methane  emissions  from  rice  ecosystems. Likewise, Pusa Rice DST1 gives higher productivity in salinity affected rice ecosystems. Thus, both  these  genomes  edited  rice  varieties  with  higher  yields  can  prove  game  changer  for sustainable agriculture.

(d): Following large-scale deployment, it is anticipated that paddy production in the regions currently cultivating Samba Mahsuri and MTU1010 will increase by 10-15% over time, as the genome-edited  varieties  DRR  Dhan  100  and  Pusa  DST  Rice  1  progressively  replace  their respective parent varieties.

Substantial  water  savings  are  also  projected  with  the  adoption  of  DRR  Dhan  100. Assuming  a  standard  rice  water  requirement  of  100,000  litres  per  hectare  per  day,  the replacement of Samba Mahsuri with DRR Dhan 100 over 1 million hectares is estimated to save approximately  150,000  million  litres  of  water  per  season.  This  estimate  is  based  on  a conservative reduction of 15 days in crop duration due to the early maturity of DRR Dhan 100.

Both genome-edited varieties are endowed with key climate-resilient traits. DRR Dhan 100 combines  early  maturity  and  lodging  resistance,  while  Pusa  DST  Rice  1  offers  enhanced tolerance to salinity stress. Collectively, these attributes position the varieties as high-impact interventions for improving productivity, resource-use efficiency, and climate resilience in ricebased production systems.

(e): Yes. These two varieties have been identified for selected zones and states based on their two-year  performance  in  field  evaluation  trials  conducted  by AICRPR  (All  India  Coordinated Research Project on Rice). DRR Dhan 100 and Pusa DST1 have been identified for the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala (Zone VII).

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