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India has successfully developed and released the world's first two genome-edited rice varieties.
These varieties, including DRR Dhan 100, were created by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The primary goal of this innovation is to bolster national food security and promote sustainable farming practices.
This marks a significant advancement in agricultural biotechnology, offering precise crop improvement.
Genome editing is a revolutionary biotechnology that allows scientists to make highly precise and targeted changes to an organism's DNA. Unlike traditional genetic modification (GM), which often involves introducing foreign DNA from other species, genome editing typically focuses on modifying existing genes within the organism itself. This can involve deleting, inserting, or replacing specific DNA sequences to enhance desirable traits like disease resistance, nutritional value, or stress tolerance. The CRISPR-Cas9 system is the most widely recognized and utilized tool for genome editing.
Simple Analogy: Imagine an organism's DNA as a vast book. Traditional genetic modification is like adding a new chapter from a different book. Genome editing, however, is like using a very precise editor to correct a specific word, sentence, or paragraph within the original book, making it more accurate or effective without adding external content.
An autonomous organization under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. It is the apex body for coordinating, guiding, and managing research and education in agriculture, including horticulture, fisheries, and animal sciences across India.
The development of resilient and high-yielding rice varieties directly contributes to the objectives of NFSM, which aims to increase the production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals, and commercial crops.
This achievement highlights India's progress in leveraging advanced biotechnological tools, such as CRISPR-Cas9, for crop improvement, complementing other techniques like marker-assisted selection and traditional breeding.
Genome-edited crops can reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture by requiring fewer chemical inputs and being more resilient to climate change impacts, aligning with sustainable development goals.
While the original Green Revolution focused on conventional breeding and chemical inputs, genome editing represents a 'second Green Revolution' approach, offering more precise, targeted, and environmentally friendly solutions for agricultural productivity.
GS Paper III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Biotechnology. Agriculture: Major crops-cropping patterns, e-technology in the aid of farmers.
General Science, Current Affairs, General Awareness.
General Awareness, Science & Technology updates.
General Science, Current Affairs.
General Science, Current Affairs.
Consider the following statements: 1. Genetic changes can be introduced in the cells that produce eggs or sperms of a prospective parent. 2. A person's genome can be edited before birth at the early embryonic stage. 3. Human induced pluripotent stem cells can be injected into the embryo of a pig. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: 1, 2 and 3
With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of 'genome sequencing' be used in the immediate future? 1. Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in various crop plants. 2. This technique helps in reducing the time required to develop new varieties of crop plants. 3. It can be used to decipher host-pathogen relationships in crops. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Answer: 1, 2 and 3
What is the application of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Technology?
Answer: Reproductive cloning of animals
High for Science & Technology, particularly biotechnology and its applications in agriculture.
A technology that allows precise modifications to an organism's DNA.
A widely used and highly efficient genome editing tool.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the apex body for agricultural research and education in India.
One of the world's first genome-edited rice varieties developed by ICAR.