Indian researchers unlock rice’s phosphate efficiency through CRISPR innovation
By removing a specific repressor binding site in the promoter of a gene called OsPHO1;2, the scientists increased its activity to absorbed more phosphate from the soil
INDIA – Rice farmers may soon spend less on fertilizer, thanks to new research from India’s BRIC-NIPGR that has improved phosphate use in rice through gene editing.
Researchers at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), working under the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), used the CRISPR-Cas9 tool to boost the ability of rice plants to absorb phosphate from the soil.
By removing a specific repressor binding site in the promoter of a gene called OsPHO1;2, the scientists increased its activity. The rice plants then absorbed more phosphate from the soil, even when phosphate levels were low.
“The gene-edited rice showed a 26% increase in grain yield under low-phosphate conditions,” the lead researcher explained. “This means better returns for farmers and fewer nutrients lost to the environment.”
Rice covers more than a third of India’s farmland, but only about 20% of applied phosphate is typically taken up by the crop. The rest often ends up in rivers and lakes, where it can cause harmful algal growth.
This breakthrough offers a more efficient and affordable path for rice farming in regions where fertilizer access is limited or soils hold onto phosphorus tightly.
Expanding to other crops and regions
The success of this rice model has sparked interest in applying similar gene-editing methods to other staple crops. In maize, boosting the expression of phosphate transporter genes has led to higher uptake and yields, especially in systems where maize is grown after oilseed rape. Some studies recorded a 20.7% increase in phosphorus absorption and a 9.17% rise in harvest.
Soybean researchers are exploring edits in key phosphorus transporter genes to improve crop performance in acidic soils. Similar work is underway for wheat, with early results showing better phosphate uptake through changes in transporter genes and regulatory pathways.
“The method we used maintains the original function of other genes,” the BRIC-NIPGR team added. “It allows precision edits without the risk of unexpected changes in plant development.”
This work also holds potential for farmers in phosphorus-poor regions. Data from the European Soil Data Centre shows that places like Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America lose the most phosphorus through erosion, with African soils losing up to 9.7 kilograms per hectare each year.
East Africa, in particular, faces high phosphate retention in acidic soils and low access to effective fertilizers. Here, gene-edited crops like the BRIC-NIPGR rice may offer a path to better food security and less pollution.
Complementary strategies add value
In addition to gene editing, scientists point to the benefits of cropping systems that support soil health. For example, rice rotated with oilseed rape shows stronger microbial activity and more available phosphorus in the soil.
Using root-associated microbes like Pseudomonas may also help by making phosphorus easier for plants to absorb.
This combination of plant genetics and farm management could shape the future of food production in regions where fertilizer is expensive or scarce. As the BRIC-NIPGR team put it, “We’re giving plants the tools to do more with less.”
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