• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

M. Somasekhar

"There is a definite case to revisit the existing rice germ plasm and analyse `golden' coloured farmers varieties for the vitamin A content."

Hyderabad , Sept. 8

WAS `Golden Rice', or the recently-developed genetically-modified rice variety claimed to provide vitamin A supplements, known to Indian farmers and cultivated in some parts of the country a few hundred years ago?

If the descriptions in the ancient manuscript titled Kashyapiya Krishisukti, a treatise on agriculture written by Kashyapa around 700-800 A.D. are any indication, the hints are in the direction of a reasonable yes.

Two mentions of `Peetavarna Vrihi' or yellow rice, which Kashyapa claimed to improve digestion and a `Sambaka' variety called `Hema' or golden could have been sources of vitamin A.

Giving this interpretation, Dr Y.L. Nene, who is heading the Asian Agri-History Foundation (AAHF), here said, "There is a definite case to revisit the existing rice germ plasm and analyse `golden' coloured farmers varieties for the vitamin A content".

The AAHF obtained a copy of the treatise written in Devanagari script from the Adyar Library, Chennai and translated it and published it in English. The manuscript details with various aspects of agriculture written in a simple style by Kashyapa, who possibly lived in Kosala in the present central Uttar Pradesh from soil conditions, to monsoons and agricultural practises focussed in irrigated areas.

Interestingly Kashyapa's book laid emphasis on human nutrition. Varieties of rice are first in the priority list. The grains (pulses) for preparation of soup are second, vegetables third and ghee, milk etc, fourth. A mix of these four makes a complete meal and brings stability to human life by providing nourishment and health, it says, Dr Nene explained.

Dr Nene, who retired from the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) as Deputy Director-General, set up the AAHF to generate a sound database on Indian agricultural history and undertake translation and building up a library in 1996.

A corpus of Rs 40 lakh was raised through a dozen scientists, Mahyco and Sehgal Foundation of US to take up this task.

Since, the technology of the genetically-modified `Golden Rice' developed by Dr Ingo Potyrkus of Switzerland and Dr Bayer of Germany to be transferred to Indian rice varieties had raised a major debate in the country, it could perhaps be fitting to look inwards into our own germ plasm resources and find out if such varieties did exist and how would they perform, Dr Nene told Business Line.

The Golden Rice is claimed to be a potential solution to eliminate the largescale vitamin A deficiency existing among the poor in countries such as India. A claim disputed by agri-environmentalists. In addition to opposing the genetic modification technology, these groups argue on the levels of vitamin A and the adverse impact on the environment.

Under a Department of Biotechnology (DBT) led initiative, several national research institutes are trying to transfer the technology and inject the traits into Indian rice varieties. The Hyderabad-based, Directorate of Rice Research, the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore, the South Delhi Campus of Delhi University etc are involved in the project.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
Was `Golden Rice' known to Indian farmers centuries ago?

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line