Seven new cotton varieties (including two hybrid varieties) will shortly be placed for approval for cultivation, which have quality traits and effective tolerance against cotton leaf curl virus, Punjab Minister for Agriculture Khurshid Zaman Qureshi told a meeting of the Board of Directors of Cotton Research and Development Company held at the Agriculture House.
The minister stressed to harness resistance BT sources to acquire latest technology for protection of cotton crop against pests and cotton leaf curl virus. Secretary Agriculture Punjab, Fayyaz Bashir, board members of the Punjab Cotton Research and Development Company, Dr Anjum Ali, Director General Agriculture (Extension) and Rafiq Akhtar, Director Agricultural Information were also present in the meeting.
The minister, who is also the company chairman, underlined to develop infrastructure for hybrid breeding culture to meet international standards. He stressed the need for cooperation and assistance from the private sector and addressing the mealy bug menace, another challenge to cotton breeders.