Cotton Research Institute is the leading Institute engaged in developing cotton varieties in Punjab. This Institute is working on combating various upcoming biotic and abiotic threats. The cotton crop is one of the most difficult crops in terms of management point of view. In the recent years CLCuV is the most devastating biotic factor in Pakistan that results in severe losses in yield. Along with this threatening viral disease bollworms are also the second most disturbing factor during its reproductive phase. Dusky and red cotton bugs are also becoming major pests of cotton. On marginal lands requirement of drought tolerant varieties is a far cry. Keeping in view all these factors Cotton Research Institute is working on all these aspects i.e., disease resistance, insect pest resistance, drought tolerance, heat tolerance and better fiber quality. The material is being developed by employing various conventional and non-conventional techniques. Most common methods for the development of varieties being used are mass selection, pedigree selection, backcross breeding, introgression (for disease resistance) and heterosis breeding. Various agronomic trials are also being conducted to devise production technology of the developed varieties. Similarly, trials on entomological aspects are also being carried out. Detail of Experiments is given as under:
Breeding
- Maintenance and Enrichment of Germplasm
- Study of Filial Populations (F1 - F6)
- Preliminary Yield Trials (PYTs)
- Advance Yield Trials (AYTs)
- Maintenance of Gossypium species and interspecific hybridization
- Improvement of Desi cotton
- Study of Bt. and Glyphosate resistant transgenic lines
- Effect of temperature and humidity on CLCuV incidence, seed cotton yield and fibre quality
- Provincial Coordinated Cotton Trial (PCCT).
- National Coordinated Varietal Trial (NCVT).
- Fiber Trait Analysis
- Statistical Analysis
Agronomy
- Effect of different sowing dates on growth and yield of new genotypes of cotton.
- Performance of different genotypes under different planting densities.
- 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
- Determination of efficacy of different weedicides on cotton weeds and their impact on growth and yield of cotton
- Growth Regulator Trials
- Use of Growth Hormones for the control of fruit shedding in cotton
- Varietal response study against prevailing climate change
- Effect of different mulching practices in cotton in the field conditions
- Effect of topping on seed cotton yield at different plant heights of cotton
Entomology
- Study of Varietal Behavior Against Different Insect Pests Tolerance Under Unsprayed Conditions
- Studies on the Monitoring of Insecticide Resistance in Cotton Whitefly (invitro)
- Screening of different insecticides with different brands (generic and multinational) against Pink bollworm, whitefly and dusky cotton bug
- Determination of Bt. Concentrations in Different Plant parts at different crop stages in advanced cultivars and its feeding effect on Lepidopterous larvae
- Effect of Row Spacing on the Management of whitefly
- Topping effect on dynamics of insect population, seed cotton yield and fiber quality
- Determination of number of pheromone traps per acre for effective monitoring of pink bollworm
- Monitoring of lepidopterous pests of cotton through pheromones traps at CRI., Multan
- Survey of alternate host plants of Cotton Mealybug and its Bio control agents in nine districts of Punjab (Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Khanewal. Vehari, Layyah, Muzaffar Garh, D.G. Khan and Rajanpur)
- Bio-safety trial
- Efficacy of plant extracts for the control of insect pests