CICR Director calls for transitioning to climate-smart cotton production technology

Village Gindran, Sirsa, Haryana

Dr. YG Prasad, Director of ICAR- Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) emphasized that farmers must transition to high-tech cotton cultivation in the future to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change such as high temperature in Kharif 2024-25. He also called upon farmers of North cotton zone to remain vigilant about pest such as #pinkbollworm and timely adopt practices suggested by CICR RRS to reduce losses. Dr Prasad was delivering a guest of honor lecture in a farmers-scientists interaction to promote high tech cotton cultivation the interaction was organised as part of Project Bandhan by South Asia Biotechnology Centre. 

Project Bandhan is supported by PI Foundation, and implemented by under the technical supervision of the ICAR- Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) Nagpur, on 16th September 2024 at the High-Tech Cotton Demonstration in village Gindran, Sirsa district of Haryana. Who’s who of cotton scientific fraternity along with130 progressive farmers from seven cotton-growing districts in the North cotton growing zone gathered at the High-Tech Cotton Demonstration to interact, share, learn and adopt new cotton cropping systems in order to restore cotton's glory in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.While sharing progress on Project Bandhan, Dr Bhagirath Choudhary, founder Director, South Asia Biotechnology Centre, commenced farmers-scientists interaction by offering warm welcome with a cotton backet of newly harvested cottonseed from the high tech cotton demonstration to Dr CD Mayee and Dr YG Prasad, initiated with discussion about cotton in North India and shared progress on the North India high-tech cotton demonstration in Kharif 2024-25. Sh Abhijeet Tathe of PI Industries Ltd, provided detailed information about PBKnot mating disruption technology whereas Sh. Rajvir Rathi, Vice Chairman Federation of Seed Industry of India and Bayer Crop Science India, shared the analogy of technology adoption in day-to-day life in village ecosystem and need to adopt new scientific method and farming technique in cotton production. Dr. Rishi Kumar, Head & Dr SK Sain, Principal Scientist of CICR RRS Sirsa, narrated the success story of high-tech cotton demonstration and provided extensive information regarding IPM in cotton to overcome menace of pests and diseases afflicting cotton cultivation in North cotton growing zone.

Known as an architect of modern cotton cultivation, Dr. CD Mayee appreciated the demonstration of the high tech cotton practices in farmers’ field over 2 acres in the neglected areas of Sirsa district of Haryana and congratulated team of project Bandhan. Dr Mayee referred to the high tech cotton demonstration as a best example of technology demonstration at a time when cotton production has almost decimated from North India. Dr Mayee invited scientific fraternity and extension system to take full advantage of the high tech cotton demonstration, and popularize scalable cotton technologies and best practices in order to revive cotton cultivation in North India.

Dr Rishi Kumar of CICR RRS led the field tour of high tech cotton demonstration and introduced multiple technologies showcased in farmers’ field keenly observed by Dr. CD Mayee & Dr YG Prasad along with participating scientists, extension officials, industry representatives & cotton farmers. Dr. Rishi Kumar explained about multiple innovative solution implemented in the high tech cotton demonstration and narrated benefits of different practices such as drip irrigation, water soluble fertigation, raised bed, rice straw mulch and poly mulch, showcased PBKnot, pheromone traps and sticky straps in the field conditions. Post field visits, Dr. CD Mayee & Dr YG Prasad and cotton farmers visited exhibition area to witness live display of pink bollworm, knowledge posters about pest and disease infestation and live demo of PBKnot tech and IRM and IPM. Finally, Dr. CD Mayee and Dr YG Prasad visited SABC's High Tech R&D Station laboratory, where soil and water were tested on-site to assist regenerative cotton production. Around 130 progressive farmers from Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Mansa, Bhatinda, Abohar, Hanumangarh, and Ganganagar participated in farmers-scientists interaction.