Special Correspondent
Favourable weather, high pest resistance spur crop productivity
No epidemic situation reported Cotton hybrid variety identified for Tamil Nadu Two varieties identified for Haryana
NEW DELHI: Cotton production has touched an all-time high during 2004-05 with record figures of 243 lakh bales (1 bale equals 170 kg), compared to 179 bales in 2003-04. Cotton productivity has also shown a significant growth, with a yield of 463 kilogram per hectare (kg/ha) during 2004-05 compared to 399 kg/ha the previous year. Due to favourable weather conditions, low pest profile and good technology available, production in the current year (2005-06) is expected to be around 242.5 lakh bales, with Bt cotton estimated to account for 60 lakh bales.
This was announced during a group meeting of the All-India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project held at the University of Agricultural Sciences at Dharwad (Karnataka) recently.
The University also identified a cotton hybrid variety, MCU 13 for Tamil Nadu and two hybrids, HHH 287 and HD 324, that would be suitable for crop rotation along with wheat in Haryana.
The cotton variety MCU 13 is suitable for cultivation in winter-irrigated areas of Tamil Nadu. It has recorded a mean seed cotton yield of 1,700 kg/ha in various trials and has the potential for a yield up to 3,500 kg/ha.
The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore developed this variety. It is a multiple cross-derivative with wide adaptation. It has a short duration of 150 to 155 days. It has recorded a mean seed cotton yield of 17 q/ha in various trials and has the potential to yield up to 35 q/ha. It can replace the MCU 5 and MCU 12 varieties.
The HHH 287 variety has recorded an average seed cotton yield of 2,045 kg/ha with a yield potential of 3,500 kg/ha. It is a genetic male sterility (GMS) system-based hybrid, developed by the Chowdhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar (Haryana). It has medium height (150-160 cm), medium boll weight (4 gm) and early duration of 160-170 days. It has field resistance to cotton leaf curl virus disease. It has a ginning outturn of 34 per cent and can replace the existing hybrids LHH 144 and HHH 223.
The Chowdhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar, has developed the HD 324 too. It has recorded a mean seed cotton yield of 1,866 kg/ha with a yield potential of 3,000 kg/ha.
It is suitable for April planting for irrigated areas in Haryana. It can resist the bollworm and leaf curl virus disease. It has a high ginning out-turn of 40 per cent and can replace HD 123 in Haryana.
Leading producer
Gujarat (73 lakh bales), Maharashtra (52 lakh bales) and Andhra Pradesh (32.5 lakh bales) are the leading cotton producing States in the country. In terms of productivity, Tamil Nadu (658 kg/ha) is the leading State, followed by Gujarat (651 kg/ha) and Punjab (551 kg/ha).
The meeting reported that favourable weather conditions and manageable pest situation prevailed in all the cotton growing states.
No epidemic situation due to pests and diseases was reported from any part of the country.
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