The newly approved rice varieties were developed by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and India’s National Agricultural Research and Extension System (NARES).
The approved varieties were developed to fit India’s diverse eco landscape, adapted for irrigated ecosystems, rainfed lowlands, direct-seeded rice (DSR) systems, and aerobic and early-transplanted areas.
They were officially notified in the Gazette of India in 2024 and are now available for large-scale cultivation and farmer adoption across the country.
“The release of several climate resilient rice varieties and hybrids in the last five years reflects the strong synergy between India’s robust national testing and evaluation system and IRRI’s global expertise in advancing rice improvement,” said Dr R. M. Sundaram, Director of ICAR–Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Hyderabad.
The support of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-IRRI Collaborative Workplan and the All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice helped fast-track the evaluation and development of varieties and hybrids suited to India’s diverse rice-growing regions.
This marked the largest “single-year wave of improved varieties designed for local needs”, said IRRI.
“Releasing 31 varieties in a single year is a testament to what focused, demand-driven research and strong partnerships can achieve. Hand in hand with our partners, we are turning scientific advances into solutions that meet farmer needs while enhancing sustainable productivity, climatic resilience, and improved nutrition for the rice sector,” said Dr Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI.
A variety of strengths
Among the newly released lines is DRR Dhan 75, an improved version of BPT 5204 developed by ICAR–IIRR from Samba Mahsuri, Habataki and ST 12.
It is gaining strong traction among farmers for its high performance, non-lodging traits, and market-preferred grain quality.
According to IRRI, several of the varieties are also stress-tolerant, delivering 10 to 30 per cent higher yields than traditional types under drought or flood conditions.
CR Dhan 808 and Malaviya Manila Sinchit Dhan-1 showed strong results in water-limited areas, while the flood-tolerant CR Dhan 811 averages 3.6 tonnes per hectare.
CR Dhan 804, which withstands both drought and flooding, maintained around two tonnes per hectare even under stress.
New lines, such as CR Dhan 108, Sabour Pratap Dhan, and Swarna Purvi Dhan-5 were specifically developed to be suited for DSR systems.
These systems can reduce water use by up to 30 per cent, cut labour needs by a third, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
CR Dhan 807 was also highlighted as a standout as a non-genetically modified, herbicide-tolerant, and drought-resilient variety.
Among the newly released varieties also included biofortified varieties such as Spoorthi (GNV 1906), DRR Dhan 79, and Sabour Vijay Dhan, which contains 20–22ppm of zinc, nearly twice the amount found in conventional rice.
Furthermore, the overall collection features a diverse range of grain types and qualities in order to cater to consumer preferences across regions such as Punjab, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat.
