MM1.2: Development of Extra Long Staple G.barbadense with improved fibre qualities to meet requirements of textile industries.

The annual production of Extra Long Staple cotton in India is 3.0-4.0 lakhs bales as against the demand of 9.0 lakh bales. The shortage is met through import of ELS cotton from USA , Egypt and Sudan . At present SUVIN is the only ELS variety with fibre length of 35mm and above. The inter-specific hybrids like DCH- 32 and TCHB- 213 also constitute substantial parts of ELS cotton production. Mostly, these ELS cotton of barbadense group are low yielders and low ginners. It is therefore necessary to evolve productive ELS cotton with superior GOT and early maturity. The cultivated area under ELS cotton need to be increased by promoting barbadense cotton in other potential areas such as M.P, Maharahtra (Deccan track), parts of Gujarat and parts of Orissa and Karnataka. As barbadense are highly susceptible to sucking pest and bacterial leaf blight in these status, efforts are needed to evolve types resistant to these. Thus project is aimed at genetic enhancement of barbadense cotton to improve their yield and quality for additional revenue through value addition of ELS cotton based textiles.

OBJECTIVES

• To identify suitable G. barbadense genotypes with earliness, higher ginning and acceptable fibre quality through conventional breeding methods.
• Identification of superior genotypes with improved fibre quality through marker aided selection.
• Promotion of superior genotypes

Name of the Lead Center: CICR (RS), Coimbatore

Co-operating Centres: UAS, Dharwad, MPKV, Rahuri, NAU Surat, JNKVV Indore, OAUT Bhavanipatna, TNAU Coimbatore.