Genetic Innovations: Transforming Indian Agriculture for Climate Resilience and Food Security

Context

The former Principal Scientific Adviser has emphasised the potential of advanced genetic technologies, particularly CRISPR gene editing and apomixis, to strengthen India’s staple crops against climate change, improve agricultural productivity and ensure long-term food security.

Genetic Innovations in Indian Agriculture

Modern genetic innovations involve using advanced molecular biology techniques to develop crop varieties with desirable characteristics, including higher yields, drought tolerance, salinity resistance and shorter maturity periods. Two important developments are CRISPR-Cas genome editing and synthetic apomixis.

1. Importance of India’s Staple Crops and Seed System

• Dependence on Rice and Wheat: Rice and wheat together occupy more than 50% of India’s agricultural land and account for a major share of the country’s daily calorie consumption.
• Public Sector Dominance in Wheat Seeds: Public institutions supply nearly 95% of India’s certified wheat seeds, while private sector participation remains relatively limited.
• Hybrid Rice Market: Private companies dominate commercial hybrid rice distribution, whereas public research institutions focus considerably on meeting the needs of small and marginal farmers.
• Seed Production Network: The National Seeds Corporation (NSC), established in 1963, and State Agricultural Universities play an important role in producing breeder seeds, which are subsequently multiplied into certified seeds through public and private networks.

2. India’s Progress in Crop Genome Editing

India has made significant progress in applying precision genetic technologies to improve agricultural productivity and climate resilience.

• CRISPR-Edited Rice: India has emerged as a pioneer in the development and approval of genome-edited rice varieties, demonstrating the potential of indigenous agricultural research.
• DRR Dhan-100 (Kamala): Developed by ICAR scientists through targeted modification of a cytokinin-degrading enzyme gene, this variety promotes greater spikelet formation. It matures in approximately 130 days, around 20 days earlier than conventional varieties, and offers nearly 20% higher yield, reaching about 5.4 tonnes per hectare.
• Pusa DST Rice-1: Developed by ICAR-IARI through modification of the OsDST gene, this variety has improved tolerance to saline and alkaline soils. It delivers approximately 10–30% higher yields under such conditions.
• Non-Transgenic Characteristics: Both varieties do not retain foreign DNA or gene-editing machinery in their final commercial seed lines, distinguishing them from conventional genetically modified crops.
• New Climate-Resilient Varieties: Agricultural authorities have notified 184 new varieties across 25 crops, including wheat varieties designed to withstand changing climatic conditions.

3. Global Developments in Crop Genetics

• Synthetic Apomixis: Researchers Venkatesan Sundaresan and Imtiyaz Khanday at the University of California, Davis, have demonstrated the possibility of producing clonal seeds in rice with over 90% efficiency. This technology could preserve hybrid characteristics across successive generations.
• Drought-Tolerant HB4 Wheat: Developed by Argentina’s Bioceres Crop Solutions using a sunflower-derived gene (HaHB4), this wheat variety has received approval for cultivation in several countries, including Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
• CRISPR-Edited Wheat: International research collaborations, including Australian-led initiatives, are exploring genome editing to improve wheat productivity, stress tolerance and disease resistance.

Significance of Genetic Innovations for Indian Agriculture

1. Strengthening Climate Resilience

Precision breeding can help crops withstand drought, salinity, extreme temperatures and other environmental stresses without compromising agricultural productivity.

Example: Pusa DST Rice-1 demonstrates improved survival under coastal saline conditions compared with conventional rice varieties.

2. Improving Resource Efficiency

Developing early-maturing and stress-tolerant varieties can reduce dependence on irrigation, electricity and other agricultural inputs.

Example: DRR Dhan-100’s shorter growing period can reduce irrigation requirements and potentially lower methane emissions associated with flooded rice cultivation.

3. Making Hybrid Seeds Affordable through Apomixis

Synthetic apomixis can enable farmers to reproduce hybrid seeds without losing their desirable characteristics across generations. This could reduce farmers’ dependence on purchasing expensive commercial seeds every season.

4. Strengthening Food and Nutritional Security

Genome editing can accelerate crop improvement by introducing desirable traits more precisely than conventional breeding methods. It can help develop varieties resistant to emerging pests, diseases and unpredictable monsoon patterns.

5. Promoting Agricultural Self-Reliance

Indigenous genetic research can reduce dependence on imported technologies and strengthen India’s domestic seed industry, agricultural research institutions and biotechnology capabilities.

6. Supporting Small and Marginal Farmers

Publicly developed climate-resilient varieties can improve farm incomes, reduce crop losses and make advanced agricultural technologies accessible to resource-constrained farmers.

Challenges Associated with Genetic Innovations

1. Declining Interest in Plant Science Research

Regulatory uncertainty and prolonged debates surrounding agricultural biotechnology have affected research investments and the attractiveness of plant sciences among young researchers.

2. Scientific Complexity of Wheat Improvement

Wheat has a complex hexaploid genome and predominantly self-pollinating reproductive biology, making the development of commercially viable hybrid varieties more challenging than in crops such as rice and maize.

3. Differences in International Regulatory Frameworks

Countries follow different approaches to regulating genome-edited crops. Some distinguish between gene-edited varieties without foreign DNA and conventional GM crops, while others apply stricter regulatory requirements.

This creates uncertainty for agricultural exports and may result in additional testing, certification requirements and non-tariff trade barriers.

4. Laboratory-to-Field Implementation Gap

Successful genetic modifications under controlled conditions do not always translate into consistent field performance. New varieties require extensive multi-location trials to assess their adaptability to different agro-climatic conditions.

5. Intellectual Property and Seed Accessibility

Patents, proprietary technologies and commercial seed pricing may restrict access to advanced varieties, particularly for small and marginal farmers.

6. Ecological and Biosafety Concerns

The widespread adoption of genetically improved crops requires careful assessment of unintended genetic effects, biodiversity implications and potential impacts on surrounding ecosystems.

Way Forward

• Strengthen Fundamental Research: Increase public investment in plant genetics, molecular biology, functional genomics and plant-pathogen interactions through research fellowships and specialised institutions.
• Develop a Predictable Regulatory Framework: Establish transparent and science-based approval procedures for SDN-1 and SDN-2 genome-edited crops, particularly where foreign DNA is absent.
• Expand Public Sector Seed Research: Strengthen ICAR, State Agricultural Universities and the National Seeds Corporation to ensure that improved varieties remain accessible and affordable.
• Accelerate Apomixis Research: Expand field-level research on synthetic apomixis in rice, maize and sorghum to assess its commercial viability and long-term seed stability.
• Promote Public-Private Partnerships: Utilise public research capabilities and private seed distribution networks to accelerate the multiplication and delivery of improved varieties.
• Ensure Affordable Access to Technology: Develop mechanisms for sharing publicly funded genetic innovations and improving access to intellectual property for domestic breeders.
• Strengthen Field Trials and Biosafety Assessment: Conduct multi-location trials and evaluate crop performance under different environmental conditions before large-scale commercial deployment.
• Harmonise International Standards: Engage with international partners to promote greater regulatory clarity for genome-edited agricultural products and safeguard export competitiveness.

Conclusion

Genetic innovations such as CRISPR genome editing and synthetic apomixis can transform Indian agriculture by improving crop productivity, strengthening climate resilience and reducing farmers’ input costs. Indigenous developments such as DRR Dhan-100 and Pusa DST Rice-1 demonstrate India’s growing scientific capabilities. However, their long-term success will depend on sustained public research investment, effective regulation, rigorous biosafety assessment and equitable access to improved seeds. These technologies must ultimately serve as instruments of climate-smart agriculture, food security and farmers’ welfare.

Source : The Hindu