Informatics Publishing Limited

S. V. Amitha Mithra ¹, M. K. Kar ², T. Mohapatra ¹, S. Robin ³, N. Sarla ⁴, M. Seshashayee ⁵, K. Singh ⁶, A. K. Singh ⁷, N. K. Singh ¹, R. P. Sharma ¹

Affiliations
1 ICAR-National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
2 ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack 753 006, IN
3 Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, IN
4 ICAR-Indian Institute Rice Research, Hyderabad 500 030, IN
5 University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru 560 065, IN
6 Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 500 030, IN
7 ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN

Abstract

In 2007, with the help of DBT, a research project to create mutant resources for functional genomics in rice was launched through a national initiative involving ICAR-National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi; ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi; Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore; ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad; University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore and Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Genetically well-defined material is a prerequisite for functional genomics. Thus, the project aimed to generate EMS mutants in the background of an upland and short duration aus genotype, Nagina22, characterize the mutants and use them in crop improvement. As of now, nearly 85,000 rice M2 mutant populations have been created under the project. Based on field phenotyping, gain and or loss of function mutants for tolerance to herbicide spray, drought, salinity and resistance to rice leaf and panicle blast, sheath blight and high phosphorus (P) use efficiency under low P field have been identified. Notably, the herbicide-tolerant mutant identified is under the process of registration for distribution to public and private rice breeders under appropriate material transfer agreement. Besides this, the project also aims to serve as a 'National Repository of rice EMS mutant resource' for the researchers involved in rice biology and improvement in the country.

Keywords

EMS Mutagenesis, Mutant Resources, Nagina22, Rice.

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O. P. Yadav ¹, D. V. Singh ¹, B. S. Dhillon ², T. Mohapatra ³

Affiliations
1 ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur 342 003, IN
2 Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141 004, IN
3 Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi 110 014, IN

Abstract

The term ‘Green Revolution’ (GR) is used to highlight an unprecedented increase in wheat production in India during 1968–72. The critics of GR allege that there is technology fatigue, especially after 1980s. The present study was undertaken to analyse the trends in productivity of major cereals and compare yield gains during the GR era and post-GR era. The period of 68 years since 1950 was divided in four phases: pre-GR era (1950–66) referred to as phase I, GR era (1967–83) as phase II, post-GR era of 1984–2000 as phase III and post-GR era of 2001–17 as phase IV. The annual rate of gain in productivity (kg/ha/yr) in each phase was estimated by linear regression. The annual gain in wheat productivity in phase III (53.1 kg/ha) was 30% higher than that in the GR era (41.0 kg/ha). In rice, the productivity gains increased consistently: annual gain in phase III (32.3 kg/ha) and phase IV (41.6 kg/ha) was 68% to 117% respectively, higher than that in the GR era (19.2 kg/ha). The rate of gain in productivity of maize and pearl millet in phases III and IV was 188–530% higher in comparison to the GR phase. The progress can largely be attributed to development and adoption of improved cultivars with higher yield potential and crop management technologies. The analysis provided conclusive evidence of India experiencing evergreen revolution in major cereals.

Keywords

Cereals, Crop Productivity, Green Revolution, Improved Cultivars.

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