India, Japan join hands to develop urea-efficient wheat varieties

In a significant move towards sustainable agriculture, Indian and Japanese institutions are collaborating to develop India's first wheat varieties utilising Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) technology. These varieties aim to reduce urea dependency, addressing challenges like environmental sustainability, agricultural productivity and the financial strain of urea subsidies.

Benefits of BNI technology

- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution

- Eases financial burden of urea subsidies

- Enhances soil fertility and nitrogen use efficiency

What is BNI technology?

- Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) technology refers to a natural process where plant roots release compounds that inhibit the conversion of nitrogen into nitrate. This reduces nitrogen loss through leaching and emissions, ensuring efficient nutrient usage and reducing dependency on chemical fertilisers like urea.

The project is a joint effort by the ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI), Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR), Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), in collaboration with the Japan International Research Centre for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS). The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funds the initiative.

In early December, a delegation led by Dr TR Sharma, Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), ICAR, visited JIRCAS to assess progress. “Initial results from lab and field trials are promising,” said Dr RK Yadav, Director, ICAR-CSSRI. “We are hopeful of soon introducing a wheat variety that requires less urea, significantly reducing the nation’s dependency.”

Dr Ajay Kumar Bhardwaj, Principal Scientist at CSSRI, emphasised BNI’s transformative potential. “This technology can reduce nitrogen fertiliser demand without compromising yield or quality, leading to sustainable agricultural practices. It also minimises nitrogen leaching into groundwater, preserving soil fertility and water resources,” he said.

Dr CN Mishra, senior scientist, IIWBR, said initial experiments showed a 15-20% reduction in urea usage without affecting yield or quality. “The breeding strategy for developing BNI-enabled wheat varieties is well on track,” he added.

With this breakthrough, India and Japan are set to revolutionise wheat cultivation and address global agricultural challenges.