Scientists identify 340 genes to develop salt-tolerant paddy

Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, September 19

The Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) has identified 340 genes from halophytes plants (salt-tolerant grass found in the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat) to develop salt-tolerant varieties of paddy.

Now, CSSRI scientists have started the process to transfer the suitable gene into high-yielding paddy varieties for developing salt-tolerant varieties with the help of National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack, Odisha, and Indian Agricultural Statistical Research Institute, New Delhi.

Earlier, the CSSRI had development 10 salt-tolerant varieties of paddy, five each of wheat and mustard, and one of gram, but all were developed with the conventional breeding method.

A salt-tolerant land race variety, Pokkali, is already available, but has tolerance at seedling establishment stage and can be grown in only coastal areas. This variety is also used as one of the parents for developing new salt-tolerant variety through the conventional method.

“If all works out as per plan, CSSRI scientists will be able to develop the first salt-tolerant paddy variety through the direct gene transfer method,” said Dr PC Sharma, Director, CSSRI.

The gene transfer method will help in reducing the time taken for the development of salt-tolerant variety from seven to eight years in the conventional breeding method to three years in molecular approaches (gene transfer), he added.

The Director said the salt-affected soil was a big challenge which reduced crop productivity. The institute has already reclaimed around 3.5 lakh hectares of salt-affected soil in the state so far, while around 3.1 lakh hectares is yet to be reclaimed, for which the CSSRI has been working.

Dr Anita Mann, senior scientist and project in charge, said: “Keeping in mind the problem of salinity, we have started work by adopting the biotechnological method, which is more effective and time saving, on ‘potential gene mining from salt tolerant grasses for improvement of salt tolerance in crops’ project funded by National Agricultural Science Fund in 2017.”

“Based on the achievements of the project, we organised a three-day training programme recently in which participants from several institutes were made aware of the project’s achievements,” she added.