Borlaug award for Dr Swati Nayak

Borlaug award for Dr Swati Nayak

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Biotechnology

Source: IE

Context:

• Dr Swati Nayak, an Indian scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), has been named the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Norman E Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, with the World Food Prize Foundation describing her as an “outstanding young scientist.”

About Norman E Borlaug award:

• Given by: World Food Prize Foundation
• The award is given to exceptional scientists under 40 and someone who works in the field of food and nutrition security, hunger eradication in memory of the Nobel awardee and Green Revolution’s chief architect Dr Norman Borlaug.
• Norman Ernest Borlaug was an American agronomist who led initiatives worldwide that contributed to the extensive increases in agricultural production termed the Green Revolution. Borlaug was awarded multiple honors for his work, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.
• Borlaug was often called “the father of the Green Revolution”.

About Dr Swati Nayak and her work:

• Nayak is South Asia head for Seed System and  Product Management at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
• Her work has been on “technology scaling” or closing the gap between scientific knowledge and its practical application among farmers.
• She is credited with the successful dissemination and adoption of more than 20 climate-resilient and bio-fortified rice varieties.
  • Among these are ‘Sahbhagi Dhan’, a drought-tolerant variety suitable for hilly uplands, and ‘BINA Dhan-11’, which is flood-tolerant.
  • She introduced ‘Sahbhagi Dhan’ in the tribal belt of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district with the help of women farmers. ‘Sahbhagi Dhan’ becomes a much in-demand variety throughout Odisha.
  • ‘BINA-Dhan-11’, which contains a submergence-tolerant Sub1 gene identified from an indigenous land race of Odisha, was a similar success. The Sub1 gene has been incorporated into many existing popular high-yielding varieties such as ‘Samba Mahsuri’, ‘Swarna’ and ‘Ranjit’.
  • There are other drought-tolerant varieties such as ‘DRR Dhan 42’ and ‘DRR Dhan 44’.
• Nayak is credited with taking all these varieties from lab to land.

Seed varieties:

• Nuclear seed : This is the hundred percent genetically pure seed with physical purity and produced by the original breeder/Institute /State Agriculture University (SAU) from basic nucleus seed stock. A pedigree certificate is issued by the producing breeder.
• Breeder seed : The progeny of nucleus seed multiplied in large area as per indent of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DOAC), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, under supervision of plant breeder / institute / SAUs and monitored by a committee consisting of the representatives of state seed certification agency, national / state seed corporations, ICAR nominee and concerned breeder. This is also hundred percent physical and genetic pure seed for production of foundation seed. A golden yellow colour certificate is issued for this category of seed by the producing breeder.
• Foundation seed : The progeny of breeder seed produced by recognized seed producing agencies in public and private sector, under supervision of seed certification agencies in such a way that its quality is maintained according to prescribed field ad seed standards. A white colour certificate is issued for foundation seed by seed certification agencies.
• Registered seed : Registered seed shall be the progeny of foundation seed that is so handled as to maintain its genetic identity and purity according to standard specified for the particular crop being certified. A purple colour certificate is issued for this category of seed.
• Certified seed : The progeny of foundation seed produced by registered seed growers under supervision of seed certification agencies to maintain the seed quality as per minimum seed certification standards. A blue colour certificate is issued by seed certification agency for this category of seed.
• Labelled Seed : The seed notified under Section 5 of the Seeds Act, 1966, such seed sold in the market has to be labelled as prescribed under Section 6(a) and (b) of the Seeds Act Such seed is called Labelled Seed.