MULTAN: The cotton variety BT Cyto-547, developed by scientists at the Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) in Multan, has taken first place in Punjab according to the results from the first year of the 2023 National Coordinated Varietal Trial (NCVT).
The director of CCRI Multan, Dr. Mohammad Naveed Afzal has received commendations from various quarters for this significant achievement and congratulated Dr. Farzana Ashraf, the head of the Cytogenetics department, and key team members including Dr. Khizar Hayat Bhatti, Hafiz Imran and scientific officers, for their significant contribution to this feat.
Dr. Farzana Ashraf emphasized the importance of using approved seed varieties and clarified that the organization has no association with any seed marketed under the name Cyto. The Bt Cyto-547 seed is still under trial and will only be distributed to farmers once it is finally approved in the second year of the NCVT next year, CCRI Multan spokesman said in a statement.
Two dozen different coded types of
cotton from both public and private research institutions were cultivated last year as part of NCVT in four zones in Punjab including Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, and Bahawalpur. Among these, CCRI Multan’s cotton variety BT Cyto-547 demonstrated superior production qualities, securing the top spot.
The variety exhibited strong resistance against whitefly, and glyphosate, and showed high productivity, yielding 55-60 Maunds per acre when cultivated after wheat until April 15. Its velvety green, broad, and thick leaves protect it from whitefly attacks and prevent the blackening of the cotton crop.
Structurally, BT Cyto-547 is a bushy plant with bolls growing in bunches. It matures early and can be easily cultivated after wheat, and shows improved growth with increased fertilization. Its fiber characteristics included a length of 28.5 mm, fineness of 4.6, fiber strength of 27.6, and a ginning outturn (GOT) of 42.7.
This variety performs well in both early and seasonal cultivation and will be included in the se
cond year of the NCVT, 2024.
It is worth noting that the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) has been facing severe economic challenges for the past 20 months and rectification of these financial issues could significantly elevate their contributions to cotton research and development, the release concluded.