Stewardship guidelines for non-gm imazethapyr-tolerant rice in India

Direct-seeded rice (DSR) is increasingly adopted due to its numerous advantages, including significant savings in water, labour, and time, reduced drudgery, lower production costs, improved soil health, and environmental benefits through reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, high weed infestation and the emergence of weedy rice remain major challenges limiting its large-scale adoption. Selective herbicides are not available to control weedy rice. A promising solution lies in cultivating herbicide-tolerant (HT) rice varieties in combination with appropriate herbicide application. In India, non-transgenic imazethapyr-tolerant rice varieties such as Pusa Basmati 1979, Pusa Basmati 1985, and CR Dhan 807, along with hybrids SAVA 127 and SAVA 134, have been developed for commercial cultivation. To ensure the long-term sustainability of HT rice technology, strict stewardship guidelines are essential. This paper is an outcome of the deliberations of a workshop on “Stewardship Guidelines for non-GM imazethapyr-tolerant rice in India” organized at IRRI-SARC, Varanasi, on 4 October 2024.