Tue Jul 08 03:09:53 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the text, focusing on the Indian perspective:
**Headline: Indian Scientists Boost Rice Yields with Gene Editing, Reducing Fertilizer Dependence**
**CHENNAI, July 8, 2025** – In a breakthrough with potentially significant implications for Indian agriculture, scientists at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) in Delhi have successfully used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to enhance phosphate uptake in japonica rice, leading to increased yields while reducing the need for phosphate fertilizers.
The research, published in *Plant Biotechnology Journal*, demonstrated that by precisely modifying a repressor binding site in the rice genome, the gene-edited rice plants absorbed phosphate more efficiently from the soil. This resulted in a 20% yield increase when using recommended fertilizer amounts. Significantly, when only 10% of the recommended fertilizer dose was applied, the gene-edited rice yielded 40% more than control plants, highlighting the potential for substantial fertilizer savings.
“Our goal was to show that even under conditions of limited phosphate, the gene-edited lines could achieve significantly higher yields,” explained Dr. Jitender Giri, the lead researcher at NIPGR. “This technology has the potential to reduce our dependence on imported phosphate fertilizers.”
India relies heavily on imports to meet its phosphate fertilizer needs, importing nearly 4.5 million tonnes of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP). Successful adaptation of this gene-editing technology to Indian rice varieties (indica) could contribute to more sustainable and economically viable agriculture.
While the initial research was conducted on japonica rice, chosen for its ease of genetic modification, the scientists are now working to replicate the results in Indian indica varieties.
The development has been welcomed by experts like Dr. P.V. Shivaprasad of the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru. “Soil in several parts of India has phosphorus deficiency. When the same modifications are performed in indica rice lines, it will be extremely useful. One must also check the efficacy of phosphate absorption, and how much less phosphate fertilizer can be used without compromising yield in indica lines. Exciting times ahead”
The research also addresses concerns about the safety and ethics of gene editing. Scientists have taken extensive precautions to minimize off-target effects and ensure that no foreign DNA remains in the final product, assuring that it can be safely released to farmers. As activists have raised objections to gene-edited technology on the grounds that the IPRs are held by foreign entities, Dr. Giri says that India is negotiating for a license of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
The NIPGR’s success represents a promising step towards enhancing food security and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in India.
**[End of Article]**
First Piper 