New Basmati rice varieties

Why in news?

• Five new Basmati varieties, developed by a group of scientists from Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), in 2020 and 2021 are all set to bring revolutionary changes in the way this type of paddy is cultivated in the country.

About Basmati Rice:

• Basmati is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which is traditionally grown in India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
• As of 2019, India accounted for 65% of the international trade in basmati rice, while Pakistan accounted for the remaining 35%.
• Many countries use domestically grown basmati rice crops; however, basmati is geographically exclusive to certain districts of India and Pakistan.
• India accounts for over 70% of the world’s basmati rice production.
• The areas which have a GI tag are in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Significance of new varieties:

• Traditional varieties are susceptible to two major diseases — bacterial leaf blight (BLB) and blast (leaf and collar) diseases caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.
• Pesticides and fungicides used against these diseases increased the residue levels permitted in developed countries. Recently European Union has reduced the MRL (residue limit) of tricyclazole (one of the most commonly used fungicide in managing neck blast disease) to 0.01ppm.
• Among the newly developed five varieties, three of which (Pusa Basmati 1885; Pusa Basmati 1847; Pusa Basmati 1886) can resist two common diseases of paddy.
• The other two can save 35% of the water now required as the seeds can be directly sown >> obviating the need for transplanting seedlings.
• These two seeds are resistant to herbicides too, helping the farmers control weeds more efficiently.

PRACTICE QUESTION

‘Bacterial leaf blight’, a deadliest bacterial disease, commonly affects which of the following crop?

1. Cotton

2. Rice

3. Sugarcane

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

Answer