PM Modi recently released 109 new high-yielding, climate-resilient, and biofortified crop varieties at the India Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi. This release is a significant step in India's agricultural development, with the aim to improve food security, increase farmer incomes, and address the challenges of climate change. Each variety has been meticulously developed to address specific regional challenges, from saline coastal areas to rainfed shallow lands.
Among the 109 crop varieties, nine new rice varieties were introduced. These rice varieties are customized to suit the specific needs of different regions and environmental conditions across India.
New Released Rice Varieties
1. CR Dhan 416 (IET 30201)
Recommended States: West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat
Developed by the ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, this variety is ideal for coastal saline regions, this variety yields 48.97 q/ha and matures in 125-130 days. It is moderately resistant to brown spot, neck blast, sheath rot, rice tungro disease, and glume discoloration, while showing strong resistance to brown plant hopper, grasshopper, and stem borer.
Recommended States: Odisha, West Bengal, Assam
Also, from ICAR, this variety is ideal for rainfed shallow lowlands, this variety yields 42.38 q/ha, matures in 150 days, and tolerates submergence for up to 14 days during the early growth stage. It is moderately resistant to brown spot disease, as well as leaf folder and stem borer (dead heart).
3. CR Dhan 108 (IET29052)
Recommended States: Odisha, Bihar
This variety is suitable for early direct-seeded rainfed conditions, this variety yields 34.46 q/ha and matures in 110-114 days. It shows moderate resistance to leaf blast, neck blast, and sheath blight, as well as plant hoppers, and exhibits moderate drought tolerance.
4. CSR 101 (IET-30827)
Recommended States: Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
Developed by ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, this variety is ideal for irrigated areas with alkaline or saline stress, offering yields of 35.15 q/ha under alkaline stress, 39.33 q/ha under saline stress, and 55.88 q/ha under normal conditions. It matures in 125-130 days and is a MAS-derived NIL of Pusa 44, equipped with two genes (xa13 and Xa21) for bacterial blight resistance and the Saltol QTL for salt tolerance. Additionally, it shows strong resistance to both salinity and bacterial blight.
5. Swarna PurviDhan 5 (IET 29036)
Recommended States: Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand
Dveloped by ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna, Bihar, this rice variety is ideal for direct-seeded aerobic conditions in drought-prone, rainfed, and water-limited areas during Kharif, this crop offers a yield of 43.69 q/ha under normal conditions and 29.02 q/ha under moderate drought. It matures early, within 110-115 days, and is rich in Zinc (25.5 ppm) and Iron (13.1 ppm). It is resistant to neck blast and stem rot, moderately resistant to leaf blast, brown spot, and sheath rot, and tolerant to major pests like stem borer (dead heart & white ears head), gall midge, leaf folder, rice thrips.
6. DRR Dhan 73 (IET 30242)
Recommended States: Karnataka, Odisha, Telangana
This variety is well-suited for both irrigated and rainfed shallow lowland areas with low soil phosphorus, ideal for cultivation during both Kharif and Rabi seasons. It yields 60 q/ha under normal conditions with the recommended dose of 60 kg/ha of phosphorus, 40 q/ha with 40 kg/ha of phosphorus, and 40 q/ha under low phosphorus conditions without additional phosphorus application. It matures in 120-125 days and is moderately resistant to leaf blast.
7. DRR Dhan 74 (IET 30252)
Recommended States: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Jharkhand, and regions with phosphorus-deficient soils
Suitable for both irrigated and rainfed shallow lowland areas with low soil phosphorus, this variety can be grown in Kharif and Rabi seasons. It yields 70 q/ha under normal conditions with the recommended phosphorus dose of 60 kg/ha, 44 q/ha with a reduced phosphorus application of 40 kg/ha, and 45.6 q/ha in low phosphorus conditions with no added phosphorus. It matures in 130-135 days and is moderately tolerant to leaf blast, neck blast, sheath rot, and plant hoppers.
8. DRR Dhan 78 (IET 30240)
Recommended States: Karnataka and Telangana
This variety is ideal for both irrigated and rainfed shallow lowland areas with low soil phosphorus. It offers a yield of 58 q/ha under normal conditions with the recommended 60 kg/ha of phosphorus, 46 q/ha with low phosphorus at 40 kg/ha, and 40 q/ha in conditions with no added phosphorus. The crop matures in 120-125 days and is moderately resistant to leaf blast and plant hoppers.
9. KKL (R) 4 (IET 30697) (KR 19011)
Recommended States: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry
Suitable for submergence stress conditions, this variety yields 38 q/ha under stress and 56 q/ha under normal conditions. It has a mid-early maturity period of 120-125 days. It is a MAS-derived NIL entry of ADT39*4/SwarnaSub1 with introgressed QTL Sub1 for submergence tolerance, and it shows moderate resistance to leaf blast.
The introduction of these rice varieties is expected to enhance food security, improve yield stability, and support sustainable farming practices. These varieties will help farmers across different states achieve better productivity and resilience by catering to diverse climatic and soil conditions. As India continues to face challenges related to climate change and soil degradation, these advancements in rice cultivation are a crucial step towards a more secure and sustainable agricultural future.
As these varieties are introduced to farmers nationwide, they are expected to bring about a new era of agricultural prosperity, making Indian farming more resilient, productive, and profitable.
