Agrinnovate India Bridges Lab and Field, Licenses Breakthrough Pest-Resistant Gene to M/s Rasi Seeds Pvt. Ltd.

Public-Private Partnership Set to Empower Cotton Farmers with Homegrown Technology

NEW DELHI, 21 August 2025 – In a significant boost to India’s self-reliance in agricultural biotechnology, Agrinnovate India has successfully facilitated the transfer of the innovative Cry1Fa1 gene technology from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - National Institute for Plant Biotechnology (ICAR-NIPB) to M/s Rasi Seeds Pvt. Ltd., a leading seed company.

This strategic licensing agreement marks a pivotal step in moving a cutting-edge, publicly-developed research product from the laboratory to the farmer’s field. The Cry1Fa1 gene is engineered to confer resistance against devastating lepidopteran pests, most notably the American Bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), which causes extensive annual damage to cotton crops across the country.

The technology transfer was formalized in a ceremony held in the capital. Officials from all three organizations hailed the partnership as a model for future collaborations between public research institutions and private industry.