Multan Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) scientists have developed four new high-yielding and virus-resistant cotton varieties that can successfully fight adverse circumstances and are climate smart to some extent.
The varieties were now undergoing two-year national varietal trials that was mandatory before its final approval by the Punjab Seed Council (PSC). It had so far shown good results from 26 demonstration fields from across the cotton belt in Sindh and Punjab for their performance assessment, spokesperson for Multan CCRI Sajid Mahmood said in a statement on Monday.
Quoting the Multan CCRI director, the spokesperson added that the seed of these varieties would be available from December 15, 2020 for sowing for next cotton season, 2021-22, at the official price of Rs250 per kilogramme.
“All these varieties including CIM-343, CIM-775, CIM-789, and CIM-511 can survive humid weather conditions to avoid fruit shedding, was climate smart to the extent it can survive excess temperatures, survive water shortage, less prone to pest attack especially white fly, virus-resistant, and cost of production was lower as it needed less number of sprays,” the spokesperson elaborated.
He stated that white fly, the carrier of Cotton Leraf Curl Virus, mostly attack plants with wide leaf. “However, the new varieties have Okra-like smaller leaf, to lower the incidence of white fly.”
Moreover, all these varieties were suitable for cultivation across the cotton belt stretching from Punjab to Sindh, he explained. “It is a good news for farmers and is the best cotton production technology that can fight and survive adverse circumstances.”
He invited farmers to visit CCRI Multan themselves to witness the effort of the scientists and the results. He further said that the result of final year's national cotton varietal trials (NCVT) would be available January next following which these varieties would be discussed at the sub-committee meeting of Punjab Seed Council (PSC) and finally by PSC itself with agriculture minister in the chair for final approval.
He said, “Hopefully these varieties will be available from April 15 to May 31 which is the best time for cotton sowing.”
The development has come at a time when country was facing cotton production decline with assessment of record low production expected this year.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2020.
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