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PBG-504

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Assignment Title: India and China are growing

hybrid varieties of cotton. Why hybrid varieties of cotton
are not successful in Pakistan?

INTRODUCTION OF HYBRIDS:

In hybrid cotton seed production is done either by conventional hand emasculation and
pollination or by non-conventional (Male Sterility Based). The main aim of hybrid cotton
seed production is to produce seed of high vigor and viability. Cotton hybrids have 50%
higher productivity than varieties.

The major cotton producing countries are China, India, USA, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey,
Brazil, Greece, Argentina, Australia and Egypt contributing about 85% of global production.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES of hybrids:

Advantage:

 Superior fiber properties,

 Superior yield performances,
 Wider adaptability,
 Good price for the produce.

Disadvantages:

 High cost of seed,

 High cost of cultivation,
 Difficulty in seed production,
 Naps and motes especially in inter-specific by birds.

There are many social as well as economic problems facing cotton production in Pakistan:

illiterate farming community, high cost of inputs, small landholdings, less adoptability of
innovations by the farmers, lack of guidance to farmers, high cost of production and
insecurity in the market, the cost of production being the most significant among them.

Although the cotton plant is a “sun-loving” plant, an excessively higher temperature at

reproductive phase (above 36oC) decreases its production significantly. According to an
estimate, cotton plant sheds about 65–70 per cent of its fruiting points due to heat-induced
sterility, spotted bollworm attack and increased humidity during monsoon. High temperature
disrupts the movement of water, ion, and inorganic solutes across the plant membrane, which
interferes with photosynthesis and respiration. Clearly, an increase in high temperature at the
reproductive phase is the major factor of low productivity of cotton varieties grown in the
cotton belt of Pakistan.

In Pakistan, about 6.3 million hectare was affected by salinity, and groundwater in most of
these saline areas is brackish and thus unfit for irrigation. So current cropping intensities and
groundwater usage in irrigated agriculture are not sustainable due the problem of salinity.
Similarly intense heat during summer has increased the risk of boll shedding, and pest attack
as well. Due to scare availability of water, farmers are facing a lot of problems in growing
hybrids on commercial areas, it increases the cost of production, and these expenses are not
be fulfilled in market.

In India hybrids are grown in large area as compare to Pakistan, they have sufficient sources
to maintain the stability of hybrids also. Similarly they have more water availability as
compare to Pakistan so the risk of boll shedding due less water availability can be prevented,
similarly chances of salinity are reduced. Moreover India is developing advance resistant
hybrid varieties against drought, salinity, insect and pests which have ultimately effecting the
GDP directly by increasing the yield.

China is working on the stability of BT cotton. They are working on availability of hybrid
seeds to farmer’s access. Hybrids labs are developed by government in different areas which
shows the interest of government towards hybrid development. Hybrid seeds are available to
farmer access in affordable prices. Trained labors give proper instructions to farmer and
make them aware about the importance of hybrids to increase the yield by using production
technologies.