Indian scientists developing drought-tolerant crops

RICE

Bangalore, Oct 13 (PTI) India's scientists are developing
drought-tolerant crops and submergence-tolerant rice, a key
agricultural research institute official said Tuesday.

Deputy Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural
Research, Dr Swapan Dutta said these crops, termed precision
designer crops, are now under the evaluation stage.
"It (submergence-tolerant rice) can come in for commercial
release within the next two to three years", he told reporters
after attending a multi-stakeholder workshop on ensuring food
security and agriculture sustainability through advances in
agriculture.
Referring to submergence-tolerant rice, he said that
during submergence (by rain or flood waters) metabolic
functions and photosynthesis of these plants would be very
low. "This plant will easily survive for two weeks (under
water)".

During submergence, these plants would produce ethanol,
giving them energy during that period. Once water recedes,
these plants, which would appear pale during submergence,
would rejuvenate themselves and be back to their normal
functioning.
On drought-tolerant crops such as tomato, brinjal, cabbage
and maize, he said "we have to design a crop in such a way
that these plants would only activate these genes under
drought or salinity when it's needed. When it's not needed,
the plant does not have to activate these genes".
"So, now we are working on some kind of switch-on and
switch-off machinery", he said. PTI RS
DDC


The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive
use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, confidential or privileged
information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please
notify the sender immediately and destroy
all copies of this message and any attachments contained in it.