Spoorthi- a new zinc rice variety introduced in India
Spoorthi- new variety of rice which is high in Zinc has been distributed to farmers in India to meet the deficiency of Zinc and enhance nutrition through staple foods. Notably, Spoorthi was officially released in 2023 with a collaborative effort involving IRRI, IIRR, the University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, and the partners from IRRI’s zinc biofortification breeding network in India and was further approved for commercial cultivation by the All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Program (AICRIP).
In addition, a training and seed distribution program has been conducted in Raichur, Karnataka, and Marrigudem village, Nalgonda District, Telangana by IRRI, ICAR–Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), and University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, which was held at the University of Agricultural Sciences and in a local farming village signaling the commencement of Spoorthi’s deployment. Moreover, selected farmers will be given around 50 quintals of seed for the growth and proliferation.
Undoubtedly, Spoorthi was developed to address the challenge of combating Zinc deficiency which is usually found in 30 to 40 percent of India’s population, including women, children, and the elderly as contains 26 (parts per million) ppm of zinc, which is significantly higher than other grown rice varieties containing nearly 12-16ppm.
Interestingly, its production are comparable to types such as IR64 and MTU1010, which often produce 4.5 to 6.5 tons per hectare, making it a realistic and pragmatic option offering no compromise in the productivity.
Dr. B.P. Mallikarjuna Swamy, IRRI Senior Scientist said that many farmers still relate value with yield or pest resistance, not nutrition. That's why his team are working to create more awareness about the health benefits of zinc. Furthermore, he added that his team also exploring collaborations with the Department of Women and Child Welfare, school meal programs, and public-private partnerships to add value and expand reach.