Implementation of Genome Editing Technology In Agriculture Can Improve Crop Varieties

R.M. Sundaram, Director of the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, believes that genome editing for crop enhancement can speed up the delivery of superior cultivars.

He also stated while speaking at a workshop on the subject Genome Editing for Crop Improvement: Potential and Policy, organized cooperatively by Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) and Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL) on Friday, that genome editing technology is relatively inexpensive to implement and has widespread accessibility in both private and public sector research institutions.

The innovation could be implemented in almost any crop species for which a partial or full genome sequence is available, and it is being used to improve yields, nutritional quality, feed quality, and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in the face of depleting natural resources and a rapidly changing climate in more than 40 crops across 25 countries.

Technology has the potential to help India reduce its reliance on imports by increasing the yield and productivity of pulses and oilseed crops. In 2020-21, India imported edible oils worth Rs.1.17 lakh crore and more than Rs.1 lakh crore in the first nine months of 2021-22.

Hanumanth K. Zendge, Special Commissioner (Agriculture), said it was necessary to address farmers' concerns before deploying new technologies in the field. It was critical to implement new technologies in order to ensure nutritional and food security for the rising population by educating farmers and assuaging their fears.

Modern farming technologies must be made widely available, according to PJTSAU Vice-Chancellor V. Praveen Rao, in order to increase farmers' income. He recommended that BCIL make an attempt to include genetic technology education in middle school curricula.

Vibha Ahuja, BCIL's Chief General Manager, discussed how genome editing technology is being used in agriculture and other sectors around the world, and how China and the United States have become leaders in this field.