MULTAN A variety of cotton produced by Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) tops in Punjab and KPK whereas clinched second position across the country, results declared by Pakistan Central Cotton Committee research showed. A spokesperson of CRRI Sajid Mahmood told APP on Friday that National Coordinated Trail (NCVT) research results showed that BTCIM 775 stood first in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and second in Pakistan in 2019. He informed that breeder of this type of cotton is Head of Plant Breeding & Genetics deptt, Dr Idrees Khan adding that the cotton has been cultivated by crossing of ICARDA project material. Director CCRI, Dr Zahid Mahmood felicitated agri scientists specially Dr Idress Khan and his team on this success, saying that it was an honour for the institute that its grown cotton had won the position in NVCT trials placed at 22 places in the country, the spokesperson informed. He hoped to get CCRI its lost glory by such results, the source said and added that this cotton needed ;less water and could tolerate harsh weather conditions of summers. It will yield upto 60 monds per acre which could be cultivated after wheat harvesting for better results, Director CCRI noted adding that this variety was grown keeping in view the needs of textile industry of the country. The staple length cotton are 28.6 millimetre long, micronair is 4.4 microgram per inch , the spokesperson quoted Dr Zahid as saying. Director Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), Dr Tasawar Hussain congratulated CCRI team on the achievement. The PCCC will continue to play its role for research and progress of cotton, he maintained, sajid Mahmood concluded.—APP
