New varieties may not always be higher yielding. Stronger regulation of breeding programs could delay the development and commercial release of new varieties. Scientists believe that biotechnology applications in cotton are providing solutions to most challenges, and new biotech varieties providing specific solutions to new problems will be more widely utilized.
Commercial cotton hybrids could provide an alternative for better productivity and quick release of varieties, but the constraints to production of hybrid planting seed at economical costs have to be overcome.
3. The current trend in the development of new technologies requires interconnectedness among disciplines and collaboration among public and private institutions. Within the next 18 years, most cotton will be tested on rapid testing instruments, and more fiber parameters will be tested. The repeatability and reliability of the data will improve, and fiber quality testing will move to earlier stages for on-line testing at gins.
4. The Committee noted that the World Cotton Research Conference-4 was held in Lubbock, Texas, USA from September 10-14, 2007. 590 researchers, more than half from outside the USA, attended the Conference. The world cotton research conferences are scientifically significant, and the WCRC-4 was a great success. The World Cotton Research Conference-5 will be held in New Delhi, India in September/October 2011.
5. The Committee on Cotton Production Research decided to hold the 2008 Technical Seminar on the topic “Improving sustainability of cotton production in Africa”. Papers on integrated pest management and the use of seed after ginning, will be included in the Seminar.
6. The Committee encouraged public and private sector research institutes in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres to exchange testing materials, so that breeders can test two crops a year shortening the process of variety development significantly.
International Cotton Advisory Committee
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