Cotton Research Station, Multan

Contacts

  Research activities

• Breeding

• Maintenance and Enrichment of Gene pool.
• Hybridization Program.
• Study of Filial Populations  (F1- F5).
• Preliminary Yield Trials (PYTs = 5).
• Advanced Yield Trial (AYTs = 3).
• Testing of advance strains on large scale.
• Enrichment and Maintenance Of Cotton Species
• Bio-safety Trial of MNH-988
• Testing of Exotic Accessions against CLCuV .
• Evaluation of Promising Exotic  Accessions for CLCuV, Yeild and Fibre Quality
• Estimation of Genetic Diversity, Heterosis and Combining Ability Studies in Cotton.
• To Study The Long And Extra Long Staple Length Introgressed Material
• Provincial Coordinated Cotton Trial (PCCT).
• National Coordinated Varietal Trial (NCVT).

• Agronomy

• Effect of different sowing dates on growth and yield of new genotypes of cotton.
• Performance of different genotypes under different planting densities.
• Evaluation of suitable cropping pattern under agro climatic conditions of southern Punjab
• Response of macro-and-micronutrients by foliar application to growth and yield of cotton.
• Impact of NPK on the growth yield and fiber quality of cotton.
• Role of different management practices on growth and yield of cotton.
• Role of Organic matter on the yield of cotton by incorporating cotton sticks and wheat straw into soil  
• Effect of  picking time and Storage period on Germination of Cotton Seed
• Comparison of Nursery verses seed sowing of cotton

• Entomology

• Release of boll feeding bugs (RCB, DCB, STINK Bug) in cages on Bt genotypes of cotton
• Screening of insecticides  against boll feeding bugs
• Determination of Boll worm infestation in different BT  genotypes of cotton
• Population dynamics of Red Cotton Bug and Dusky Cotton Bug on cotton crop.
• Toxicological impact of insect growth regulators and insecticides on parasatoids of whitefly
• Effect of host plants on Internal boll disease and yellowish of cotton.

Research Projects

PARB Project No.27

Introgression of cotton leaf curl virus resistance genes from Gossypium arboreum  (desi cotton)  into Gossypium hirsutum (upland cotton).

Cotton leaf curl virus disease is a major impediment in enhancing cotton production in Punjab. Our main research focus is to develop cotton leaf curl virus resistant varieties. Desi cotton is resistant to CLCuV disease. Therefore, a project granted by PARB was started in 2009 to transfer CLCuV resistant genes from desi cotton into American cotton.

PARB Project No.215.

Development and commercialization of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus resistant/tolerant indigenous transgenic Bt and Glyphosate resistant cotton hybrids.

Cotton crop faces insect problem such as bollworms in addition to weeds competition and CLCV. All these factors adversely affect the yield of the already low yielding open pollinated cotton varieties compared with hybrids. This project will address bollworm problem with Bt genes, weeds problem with Glyphosate tolerant genes and improved CLCV tolerance. Over and above this, the hybrids will be better yielder than OP varieties.

Introductions

    Cotton is the most important cash crop of Pakistan. It is a major source of foreign exchange earnings and also provides livelihood to millions of people in Pakistan. Southern Punjab (Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and D.G. Khan Divisions) having cotton–wheat-cotton cropping pattern is a major belt of cotton production in Punjab. Cotton Research Station Multan is the first and the oldest cotton research centre established in Southern Punjab with the main objective of developing cotton varieties particularly for this cotton belt. It is the hub of cotton research activities and up till now16 varieties of cotton have been evolved at this research station which is the highest number in Punjab. MNH-93, S-12 and MNH-886 (Bt.) have been the most popular varieties cultivated on more than 60% and about 30 % area in Punjab and Sindh provinces respectively. Total impact on economic contribution of CRS Multan verities is estimated about 600 million rupees which is the highest share by any other cotton research centre in Pakistan. At present the main focus of research study is to solve major problem of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus disease which has been causing a colossal loss of 2-3 million bales annually. Besides heat tolerance and drought tolerance are the other main areas where research work is actively going on. Currently, study on two projects funded by Punjab Agriculture Research Board “Introgression of cotton leaf curl virus resistance genes from Gossypium arboreum (desi cotton) into Gossypium hirsutum (upland cotton) and Development and commercialization of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus resistant/tolerant indigenous transgenic Bt and Glyphosate resistant cotton hybrids” is also in progress. The peculiar feature of this research station is its extensive studies on interspecific hybridization. We have maintained germplasm of 22 species and developed interspecific hybrids. We have collaboration with USDA through ICARDA for exploring CLCuV resistant sources of cotton, and Nanjing Agriculture University China where one scientist from this research station is doing Ph.D. on identification of cotton leaf curl resistance through molecular techniques. We are also imparting training to undergraduate students of different universities and colleges. At present we have a team of 21 scientists constituting four sections, i.e., Plant Breeding & Genetics, Entomology, Agronomy and Fiber Technology. 40 experiments are conducted on various aspects of cotton on 21 acres of land.

• Objectives

The main objectives of this station are as under: -

• Enrichment of cotton germplasm.
• To develop new varieties of cotton suited to southern Punjab.
• To explore cotton leaf curl virus immune/resistant genetic sources of cotton.
• To evolve heat and drought tolerant varieties of cotton
• To develop long staple varieties of cotton.
• To develop cotton production technology for small farmers.
• To extend advisory services to farming community for enhancing their production.

• History

Cotton Research Station Multan was established in 1935 as a testing centre and upgraded in 1958 as full fledge Cotton Research Station Multan. It is the oldest and important cotton research centre in Punjab.

• Future Plan

• Germplasm enhancement through import and interspecific hybridization to broaden the genetic base of cotton.
• Development of cotton varieties having bollworm, glyphosate and CLCuV resistance.
• Development of ideotypes suited for mechanical picking.
• To study the mechanism of resistance of different pests against pesticides.
• Study of host plants of emerging pests like dusky cotton bug and red cotton bug etc.
• Molecular assisted selection for CLCuV resistance, long staple cotton, heat tolerance and drought tolerance etc. We need establishment of molecular lab for this purpose.
• Quality assessment of new cotton varieties to facilitate the breeders and to provide quality material to the industry as per the requirement.
• Utilization of cotton by-products and crop residues for value added products
• Research and skill oriented Human Resource Development
• Development of low cost production technology for small farmers.
• Target for production consumption, seed cotton yield per hectare and exports are given as under,

      Production = 25 million bales

      Consumption = 22.5 million bales

      Seed cotton yield = 1200 kg/ha

      Exports = 30 billion us dollar