The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has strongly defended the evaluation of two new gene-edited rice varieties, Pusa DST-1 and DRR Dhan 100 Kamala. ICAR states that both varieties performed exceptionally well in the specific regions where they are intended to be grown.
This defence comes after criticism from The Coalition for a GM-Free India. They had raised questions about how the gene-edited rice varieties were tested. ICAR explained that its testing process is well-established and has been used for many years to introduce new rice types to farmers. This system, known as the All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice (AICRPR), has helped release over 1,750 rice varieties since 1965.
ICAR highlighted that both Pusa DST-1 and DRR Dhan 100 Kamala were tested in their Target Performance Environments (TPEs). These are the areas where their parent varieties, MTU1010 and Samba Mahsuri, are already grown, mainly in the southern states. This ensures the new varieties are tested in conditions similar to where they will be used.
Pusa DST-1 was developed to tolerate salty and alkaline soil. ICAR reported that in these tough conditions within Zone VII, Pusa DST-1 showed a significant yield increase. It yielded 3,731 kg per hectare under alkaline soil, which is 14.66% more than the parent variety MTU1010 (3,254 kg per hectare). It also showed a 30% better yield on coastal salt-affected land.
DRR Dhan 100 Kamala, which is a modified version of Samba Mahsuri, also proved to be better over three growing seasons in Zone VII. In the Kharif 2023 season, it produced 9.13% more yield than its parent in suitable trial locations. ICAR also pointed out data from the 2023-24 Rabi season, which critics allegedly “deliberately ignored.” In this period, Kamala yielded 5,243 kg per hectare, a notable 21.95% increase compared to Samba Mahsuri’s 4,299 kg per hectare.
ICAR detailed its testing method. Under AICRPR rules, rice varieties are given codes so testers don’t know which is which. They are tested at around 100 locations across India for 2-3 years. For gene-edited varieties, the focus is on how they perform in the TPEs where their original versions are already used.
“Only data from locations where trials were conducted properly, stress levels were adequate, and results were statistically significant were considered for analysis,” ICAR stated. They added that this is a standard procedure for all crop evaluations. ICAR accused the critics of looking at data from all trial locations, not just the TPEs. They described this approach as “unscientific and misleading.”
ICAR also addressed specific claims about insufficient stress testing and selective data use. For Pusa DST-1, some data from coastal salinity trials were not used because heavy rain reduced the stress levels, a standard practice. Regarding grain and cooking quality, ICAR confirmed that any differences between the gene-edited varieties and their parents were within acceptable scientific limits according to AICRPR guidelines.
ICAR mentioned that many government officials, policymakers, and over 5,000 farmers have visited experimental fields to see the performance of these varieties. The research body believes these new rice varieties should reach farmers quickly. They stated, “Farmers themselves deserve to decide their future based on real-world performance.”
ICAR feels that stopping these varieties from reaching farmers would be unfair. It would deny farmers the chance to try and decide for themselves whether to adopt the new technology. The council suggested that the critics’ main issue is their opposition to gene-editing technology itself, rather than concerns about the testing methods. ICAR proudly noted that Indian scientists have shown “significant capability” in developing and testing gene-edited products, which is a global first.
All trial data for these gene-edited rice varieties has been made public by ICAR. The council has invited researchers, farmers, and other interested parties to visit their research institutes and examine the gene-edited lines independently.