World’s first 2 genome-edited rice varieties to be showcased at conclave in Delhi

“The thematic exhibition will feature 13 departmental stalls, 50 deep-tech startups and 10 departmental technologies. The conclave will provide a platform for presenting research outcomes, fostering scientific collaboration and connecting discoveries with practical applications,” Jat said while interacting with media persons at ICAR–Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) on Thursday.

Among the featured scientific achievements are the world’s first two genome-edited rice varieties and India’s first telomere-to-telomere (T2T) reference genome of pigeonpea, he said, adding that these advances in crop genetics and precision breeding could support further research into improved crop traits and agricultural productivity.

“The exhibition will highlight indigenous vaccine research, including an African swine fever (ASF) vaccine,” he said, adding that the presentation would feature a cell-adapted Indian ASF virus developed using MA-104 cells and report its protective effects in a target animal population.

The exhibition will also feature ‘Soil Intelligence: AI and Pedagogical Science’, highlighting the application of artificial intelligence and soil science to digital agriculture and soil-resource assessment. Such approaches can support data-driven soil management and inform planning for agricultural production and wider infrastructure development. ICAR’s research in this area emphasises the importance of understanding soil properties, improving resource-use efficiency and developing resilient farming systems, he said.