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`Grow more hybrids to stop virus spread'

L.N. Revathy

COIMBATORE, July 25

EVEN as researchers contend that there is no serious concern over the damage caused by the cotton leaf curl virus (LCV) during the last season, they have appealed to the growers against raising varieties which are more susceptible to this virus.

Dr K. Venugopal, Project Coordinator and Head, Central Institute for Cotton Research, Coimbatore, told Business Line that the incidence was traced only in 3-5 per cent of the population. A review meeting on cotton, held recently in Sirsa, took note of L CV presence in all the three States in the North zone.

He asserted that certain varieties as `Sikanderpur Raja' and `Begum', reported to have come from Pakistan, were highly susceptible to LCV. The respective State Governments should be vigilant in its spread and ban the varieties, he added.

Besides intensifying the research efforts, large scale multiplication of seeds of the resistant varieties should also be strengthened, he stressed.

He pointed out that the RS-810 of Pakistan and all desi varieties and G. Arboreum were resistant to CLCV. He stressed the need to increase the area under desi varieties and hybrids from the present level of 20 per cent to atleast 30 per cent in future.

The RG-8 and NB-347, he said were two major varieties of desi cotton under cultivation, but these were short staple and non-spinnable. ``Because of its short staple length, it is not remunerative. The returns are very low,'' he said, adding, research ef forts to evolve medium staple spinnable cotton should be strengthened and farmers enthused to raise these.

Over the years, it has been seen through experience that desi cotton yields were 25-30 per cent higher than other varieties because of closer population and minimal pest control.

Dr Venugopal maintained that ``inter-specific varieties and hybrids would be the answer for short-duration and high fibre quality cotton'' in the years to come.