Disease resistant cotton varieties developed

MULTAN: Director Cotton Dr Saghir Ahmed Tuesday said agriculture scientists had developed low water consuming and disease resistant cotton varieties.

Addressing the Cotton Research and Development Board meeting, Dr Sagir said research on weeds resistant varieties was underway and these varieties would include in the National Varietal Trial this year.

Dr Saghir Ahmed said the research on the discovery of weeds resistant cotton varieties Glyphosate Resistance had been underway in collaboration with other organisations. He said committed research programme had been in progress in collaboration with other organisations to discover climate smart cotton varieties.

CFDB Chairman Suhail Mehmood Haral underlined need for addressing the growing challenge of improvements in crop yield and production. He stressed agriculture scientists bringing professional competency for modern research to develop climate smart and resistant cotton varieties against Cotton Leave Curl Virus through research. He said that CRDB proposals helpful in per acre increase in cotton production would submit with the government as policy matters to devise strategy for the improvement of cotton crop.

Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture vice chancellor Prof Dr Asif Ali said the university was arranging training sessions of pesticide spray techniques for dealers and farmers in collaboration with agriculture department to achieve desired results. He said the university was working introducing innovative techniques of pesticides sprays to get desired results. He said if Pakistan wanted to compete in the world of cotton than farmers must be equipped with most modern techniques and technologies.

MNSUA Dean Faculty of Agriculture Prof Dr Shafqat Saeed, Director Bio Technology Dr Zafar Qureshi, Director CCRI Dr Zahid Mehmood. Assistant Director Agriculture Information Naveed Asmat Kahloon, Pakistan Crop Protection Association representative Asif Majid, Dr Taswar Malik, Bilal Israel and others also speak.

Meanwhile, Cotton Advisory Committee has issued guidelines for farmers and advised farmers to complete sowing till June 30 at any cost. Plant to plant distance should be maintained at six inches at the most to get desired number of plants. Water should preferably be applied in the evening owing to harsh weather conditions and land should get fertilisers in accordance with fertility.

The fields sown in April should get a bag of urea per acre, however, in case of sandy soil, half bag of urea be applied twice with a gap of fifteen days.

At flower stage, spray of 200 gram potassium nitrate, 300 gm magnesium sulphate, 250 gram zinc sulphate and 250 gram boric acid in 100-120 liters of water be applied. To save the crop from sucking pests, farmers should use the seed treated with suitable pesticides.