The cotton making in the country has touched an all time high during 2004-05 with a record production of 243 lakh bales (1 bale = 170 kg).
The productivity of cotton has also shown significant growth with 463 kg/ha during 2004-05 compared to 399 kg/ha during 2003-04 when the production was 179 lakh bales.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has identified two hybrids HHH 287 and HD 324 for Haryana and one variety MCU 13 for Tamil Nadu.
These varieties have been identified in the Group Meeting of All India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project held recently at University of Agricultural Sciences at Dharwad (Karnataka).
The hybrids HHH 287 and HD 324,developed by the Chowdhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, are suitable for crop rotation with wheat in Haryana.
HHH 287 has recorded a mean seed cotton yield of 2045 kg/ha with a yield potential of 3500 kg/ha. HHH 287 is a genetic male sterility (GMS) system based intra-hirsutum hybrid which has a ginning outturn of 34 per cent.
With a medium staple of 27.8 mm and fibre strength of 22.4 g/tex, it can spin up to 40s count. It can replace the existing hybrids LHH 144 and HHH 223. HD 324 is a G.arboreum variety which was recorded a mean seed cotton yield of 1866 kg/ha with a yield potential of 3000 kg/ha.
It is tolerant to bollworm and leaf curl virus disease. It has a high ginning outturn of 40 per cent and can replace HD 123 in Haryana.MCU 13 is an extra long staple G.hirsutum variety, developed by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.
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