DRR Dhan 76

Background:

Phosphorus availability is a critical factor in plant growth and grain yield. Unfortunately, the majority of Indian soils are deficient in available phosphorus, forcing farmers to apply increasing amounts of phosphatic fertilizer each season, driving up cultivation costs. Globally, commercial phosphate reserves are projected to be depleted shortly, with no viable alternative substitutes for inorganic phosphorus currently available. India, as the largest importer of phosphorus fertilizer with a 90% dependency, faces a significant challenge in ensuring sustainable agricultural practices. The most promising solution lies in effective nutrient management and the development of low soil phosphorus tolerant crop varieties. Moreover, the recent 40% increase in the cost of phosphorus fertilizers further underscores the urgency of finding alternative approaches. In light of these challenges, the proposed variety represents a promising solution for enhancing yields in phosphorus-deficient soils compared to its predecessor, MTU 1121. By focusing on nutrient management and developing resilient crop varieties, we can address the pressing issue of phosphorus availability and ensure the long-term sustainability of agriculture in India.

Technology Details:

DRR Dhan 76 (IET 29808) (RP 6317-RMS-S35-BC2F4 49-25-12-24) was developed from MTU 1121* 2 / Swarna cross combination. Hybridization, selection, evaluation and testing was done at ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR-IIRR), Hyderabad with the objective to breed high yielding with better grain quality variety and tolerance to major diseases and insect pest for irrigated ecology. IET 29808 was evaluated in multi-locational trials i.e., Irrigated Mid Early (IME) trials during Wet seasons of 2021, 2022 and 2023 under AICRPR Trials. IET 29808 consistently out-performed the check varieties in AICRPR trials in Zone III and Zone VII. This promising varietal entry has exhibited stability for yield and other characters in the states – Odisha and West Bengal (Zone III), Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Pondicherry (Zone VII). This variety exhibited moderate resistance to Leaf blast (LB), Neck blast (NB), Brown spot, Sheath Rot (ShR) and Grain Discoloration (GD). IET 29808 has good hulling (81.3%), milling (73.1%) and head rice recovery (64.2%) in comparison with the checks and qualifying varieties. It possesses intermediate amylose content (20.14), alkali spreading value (4.0), gel consistency (44.50 mm), medium slender (MS) grain type (KL- 5.53 mm; KB- 2.05 mm) and other desirable grain quality parameters.

PPV&FRA Applied: Ack No. REG/2025/0840