9th July 2025 (13 Topics)
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CRISPR-Edited Rice
Context:
Researchers at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) have successfully used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to enhance phosphate uptake and transport in japonica rice by modifying a phosphate transporter gene (OsPHO1;2), potentially reducing fertilizer use and increasing crop yield.
CRISPR-Cas9 Technology in Agriculture:
- CRISPR-Cas9 is a precision gene-editing tool derived from Streptococcus pyogenes, enabling targeted modification of DNA without introducing foreign genes.
- NIPGR researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 to knock out a 30-base pair binding site of a repressor gene (OsWRKY6), enhancing expression of the phosphate transporter OsPHO1;2 in rice.
- This increased phosphate translocation from root to shoot, boosting yield without altering seed quality.
Impact on Fertilizer Use and Yield:
- Gene-edited lines showed:
- 20% yield increase at standard phosphate fertilizer doses.
- 40% yield increase even with just 10% of the recommended phosphate dose.
- This helps address the issue of low phosphorus use efficiency, as typically only 15–20% of applied phosphate is absorbed by plants.
India’s Fertilizer Dependency:
- India is heavily dependent on imports for phosphate fertilizers.
- Developing indigenous high-efficiency varieties can promote nutrient use efficiency and reduce environmental runoff.
Regulatory and Biosafety Aspects:
- Concerns around off-target effects and foreign DNA integration are being addressed:
- Off-target edits were tested with in-silico tools—no unintended mutations were detected.
- Foreign bacterial DNA (e.g., Cas9 and vector DNA from Agrobacterium tumefaciens) is removed via Mendelian segregation in subsequent generations.
Scientific Significance:
- Marks India’s leadership in plant gene editing, particularly in rice.
- If extended to indica rice cultivars, it may revolutionise phosphate management in Indian agriculture, where phosphorus deficiency is common in alkaline and acidic soils.
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