Indian scientists identify rice varieties that can reduce fertiliser use, reaping environmental & financial gains

Sub : Env

Sec: Agri

Discovery of Natural Variations in Rice NUE:

Indian scientists discovered significant natural variations in rice nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) along with associated traits and genes.
The study found high NUE rice varieties like Khira and CR Dhan 301 are long-duration crops.
The Dhala Heera variety offers both high NUE and a shorter growth duration, beneficial for farmers.

Research Findings:

Researchers at Indraprastha University examined 46 phenotypic and physiological parameters in various rice varieties.
They found a five-fold variation in NUE among a dozen rice varieties from over a thousand Indian-released varieties.
19 parameters strongly associated with NUE were identified, including eight new ones pending field trial confirmation.

Importance of Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) in Agriculture:

NUE in rice is crucial for agricultural sustainability, measuring grain yield or nitrogen harvested per unit of urea input.
Poor fertiliser NUE leads to significant wastage: Rs 1 lakh crore annually in India and over $170 billion globally.
Poor NUE has caused substantial environmental issues over the past 50 years.
India is a signatory to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), which aims to halve nutrient waste from all sources by 2030.

Methodology and Recommendations:

The research spanned three separate studies over a decade, evaluating 34 released rice varieties in greenhouse conditions.
High NUE varieties identified in the greenhouse were confirmed in field trials, validating the methodology.
Large-scale screening of all Indian rice varieties is recommended to find more NUE cultivars suitable for different agro-climatic conditions.

Environmental Impact:

Poor nitrogen management contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and eutrophication in water bodies.
Improving NUE in rice can mitigate these issues, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Socio-Economic Implications:

Improved NUE can enhance productivity and profitability for farmers, reducing the need for excessive fertiliser application.
This leads to lower input costs, a smaller environmental footprint, and better living standards for farming communities.

Source: DTE