Biotechnologists at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGU) in New Delhi discovered significant variations in the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) among popular Indian rice varieties.
Improving NUE in rice can potentially reduce costs associated with imported fertilizers and minimize nitrogen-linked pollution, including nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions.
India's poor nitrogen-use efficiency results in wastage of fertilizers worth ₹1 trillion annually, contributing to both economic loss and environmental pollution.
India's agricultural focus on increasing yield since the Green Revolution has led to higher usage of synthetic fertilizers, resulting in greater wastage and pollution.