• UGI USER
  • Aug 05, 2024
  • 5 Likes
  • 0 Comments

NEW HERBICIDE-TOLERANT TECH PROMISES ECO-FRIENDLY FARMING

Why in the news?

New herbicide-tolerant technologies for rice and wheat promise reduced water use and environmental impact, enhancing eco-friendly farming practices.

source:oneyoungindia

About Herbicide-Tolerant Technologies:

  • New non-GM herbicide-tolerant technologies for rice and wheat.
  • Imazethapyr used to control weeds in both crops.
  • Varieties include basmati (Pusa Basmati 1979, 1985) and non-basmati hybrids (Sava 134, 127) for rice; wheat varieties Goal and Mukut for rabi season.

Current Practices vs. New Technologies:

  • Traditional rice cultivation involves flooding, puddling, and frequent irrigation; wheat requires stubble burning and multiple ploughings.
  • Herbicide-tolerant methods replace water and tillage with Imazethapyr, saving about 30% water and reducing labour and fuel costs.

Genetic Modifications and Adoption:

  • New varieties are not GM; they contain a mutated ALS gene for herbicide tolerance.
  • Existing Direct Seeding Rice (DSR) methods use different herbicides but are less effective.
  • Adoption of herbicide-tolerant technologies expected to increase due to environmental and economic benefits.
About New Rice Varieties:

  • Mutated ALS Gene: New varieties feature a mutated AcetoLactate Synthase (ALS) gene.
  • Herbicide Tolerance: Allows spraying Imazethapyr herbicide to control weeds without affecting rice.
  • Mechanism: ALS enzymes in the new rice don’t bind with Imazethapyr, preventing amino acid synthesis inhibition.
  • Mutation Breeding: Herbicide tolerance achieved through chemical mutation, not genetic modification.

Government Initiatives for new technology in agriculture:

  • YES-TECH: Technology-driven yield estimation system for accurate assessments at Gram Panchayat level.
  • WINDS Portal: Centralised platform for managing hyper-local weather data, enhancing risk assessment and decision-making in agriculture.
  • AIDE App: Facilitates door-to-door crop insurance enrolment for farmers.
  • ICAR Mobile Apps: Over 100 agriculture-related apps compiled and available online.
  • Kisan Sarathi: Digital platform providing advisories through 731 KVKs.
  • SENSAGRI: Uses drones for real-time data collection and transfer to farmers.
  • e-Crop: IoT device offering crop-specific advisories via text messages.

Associated Article:

https://universalinstitutions.com/agriculture-sector-in-india/