GOLDEN RICE
24, May 2019
Prelims level : Golden Rice
Mains level :
GS 3 : Science & Technology – Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-Technology
Why in News?
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and its partners, the Philippines Rice Research Institute and the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, have successfully cultivated Golden Rice in a controlled environment on IRRI campus.
Golden rice:
- Golden Rice is a new type of rice that contains beta-carotene (provitamin A), which is converted into vitamin A as needed by the body and gives the grain its golden color.
- It is developed through genetic engineering and produces two new enzymes that complete the beta-carotene expression in the rice grain.
- Research has indicated that one cup of Golden Rice can provide up to 50% of the daily requirement of an adult for vitamin A.
- But presently, it has a low shelf life of not more than 3 months as it may lose its nutrients after that.
- Golden Rice can be grown just like ordinary rice and varieties containing the GR2E Golden Rice trait have the same yield and agronomic performance as their conventional counterparts.
- It is intended to complement current strategies in the fight against vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and is intended to supply up to 30-50 percent of the estimated average requirement for vitamin A for preschool age children and pregnant or lactating mothers.