Agriculture department of South Punjab region will facilitate research of cotton production in the country through any means possible, said Secretary of Agriculture, South Punjab, Dr Faisal Zahoor, while on a visit to the Central Cotton Research Institute (CRRI).

He highlighted the need for scientific research to improve the quality and growth of the crop. He said that, “scientific research should be done at scale in collaboration with research institutes of the country. We need to engineer high-yield seeds and crop varieties resistant to climate change and weather vagaries.”

He said, “the results of scientific research should reach farmers so that they can apply these findings to increase their productivity and profitability.”

He was accompanied by the Additional Secretary of Agriculture Imtiaz Ahmad Warraich during his visit to the CCRI. Director of the CCRI Dr Zahid Mahmood gave a briefing on the operations and research being carried out at the institute. He also took the guests on a guided tour of the research facility.

He told them about the different areas in which research was being carried out by CCRI. He highlighted the achievements of CCRI and said that, “researchers at CCRI have successfully eradicated Pink Boll worms, introduced new varieties of the cotton crop and evolved a leaf technology. They have also discovered new methods to increase productivity.”

The CCRI director also told the secretary about the research on cotton-leaf curl-leaf virus and the machine developed for non-seasonal control of pink boll worm, adding that it a was low-cost and environment-friendly technology.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk