Page 51 - New Cloth Market December 2022 Digital Edition

Indian Scenario of Cotton Hybrid Technology, Reseach Projects & Recommendations

suitable for Indian conditions, post-sale
service & spare availability, training the
machine operators), Crop protection
companies (new generation PGR’s &
defoliants to be duly tested & approved
by CIBRC), Custom-hiring set-ups
(NGO/FPO/FPC & Rural retailers may
act as single stop solution for HDPS),
Ginners & Spinners (encourage the
machine picked cotton by setting up
pre-cleaners & price parity) and Gov-
ernment institutions (policy support in
Hybrid testing protocols and PGR &
defoliants approvals, subsidy to NGO/
FPO/ farmers on planters and harvest-
ers, input subsidy to farmers to encour-
age HDPS). Special Address by Dr. (Mrs) V. Geethalakshmi, Vice Chancellor, TNAU,
Coimbatore
Dr. T. M. Manjunath, Member, Pro-
gramme Advisory and Monitoring Com- innovations viz., i) Biotechnological inputs and Right time. He also deliber-
mittee of AICRP on Cotton made a namely, stacked trait (cry, EPSPS ated on use of sensor-based technol-
presentation on Genetic options for gene), Gene pyramiding (Cry, VIP) ii) ogy from planting to harvest in cotton
IPM of cotton pests besides Bt (What Genome Editing (Exemption of SDN1/ production and use of robotics and Ar-
after Bt in Hybrid cotton?). He men- SDN2 from GMO regulatory system, tificial Intelligence (AI) technology for
tioned that the first generation Bt was access to patented CRISPR approach- improved cotton production and maxi-
developed by incorporating Cry1 Ac es) and iii) Pheromone technology mum yield gain.
gene and the second generation Bt by (Monitoring, Mass Trapping & Mating
incorporating Cry 1Ac and Cry 2Ab Disruption). He discussed about Mat- Dr. Selvaraj, SIMA emphasized the
genes. However, the third generation ing Disruption of Pink Bollworm (PB need for maximum utilization of avail-
Bt will be with Cry 1Ac+Cry 2Ab and knot technology) in Cotton under able genetic resources to improve the
Vegetative Insecticidal Protein Gene- Project Bandhan by PI Foundation & cotton yield potential and fibre quality
3 (VIP-3). He also opined that there is Rasi Seeds (2021-22) and explained parameters. Dr. Ashwin Kashirkar
a scope for gene editing technology for the steps taken to increase cotton pro- stressed upon marker assisted breed-
weakening the R gene in male through ductivity by providing eco-friendly pink ing and informed that they have devel-
RNAi and CRISPR-CAS technology. In bollworm management technology to oped a hybrid between G. hirsutum x
SIT- Male moths were sterilized and cotton farmers. Under Project G. arboreum cross and use of artificial
released in to the nature and sterilized Bandhan, field experiment on Mating intelligence and machine learning ap-
male compete with natural male and Disruption of Pink Bollworm was con- proach to identify the off-types in hy-
thereby reducesthe pest population. In ducted by tagging PBKnot dispensers brid development. Dr. Divankar empha-
case of CRISPR-CAS silencing/alter- (~180 dispensers per acre of gossy- sized the need for diversifying the ger-
ing the receptor gene in male to be- plure @25g a.i./acre) at 45 DAS mplasm and requested that lint yield
come sterile will help in mating disrup- (squares and flower formation stage). should be considered as the main cri-
tion technology which was success- This was carried out in 300 acres area teria for hybrid release.
fully carried out in Punjab for pink boll- in 5 clusters covering 3 villages (Ward-
Next followed the Technical Session
worm. He emphasized the need for ha, Adasa and Panjari of
in which a review of results of AICRP
empowering biocontrol agents by uti- Katol&Kalmeshwar taluka, Nagpur)
on Cotton Trials was made. The ses-
lizing the genetic tools and encourag- and the Mating Disruption technology
sion was chaired by Dr. T. R. Sharma,
ing farmers to mass multiply bio-con- for controlling PBW was successfully
Deputy Director General (Crop Sci-
trol agents. He concluded by saying demonstrated. Dr. Vijay and Dr. Ajay
ence), ICAR and co-chaired by Dr C.D.
that IPM is the right choice as every Gupta of PI Industries also explained
Mayee, Chairman, Programme Advi-
technology has its own merit and no about the PB knot technology.
sory & Monitoring Committee and Dr.
one technology will solve all the prob-
Dr. A. R Sharma delivered a talk on R. K. Singh, ADG (CC), ICAR, New
lems.
“Breaking the Yield barriers in Cotton” Delhi. Chairman, Co-chair along with
Dr. Bhagirath Choudhary of Project and he advised to follow the concept Programme Advisory & Monitoring
Bandhan highlighted three key cotton of Right dose, Right choice of variety/ Committee members Dr B. M. Khadi
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