PAU’s Bt 1 is the first Bt cotton variety of India developed in public sector with inbuilt resistance against bollworms
The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) entered into agreement with Sri Ganganagar based seed company, IFSA Seeds (P) LTD for the commercialisation of Bt cotton variety PAU Bt 1. The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed by Dr Navtej Singh Bains, Director of Research, PAU and Sukhwinder Bishnoi of IFSA Seeds (P) LTD.
Dr KS Thind, former Additional Director of Research (Crop Improvement), said PAU Bt 1 is the first Bt cotton variety of India developed in public sector with inbuilt resistance against bollworms.
Highlighting the salient characteristics of the variety PAU Bt 1, Dr Paramjit Singh, Director-cum-Principal Cotton Breeder, PAU Regional Research Station, Bathinda said its average seed cotton yield is 2,812 kg/ha. It has bigger boll size of 4.3 g and ginning out turn is 41.4 per cent. It exhibited superior fibre properties with 28.2 mm 2.5 per cent span length, 28.6 g/tex bundle strength and 4.5 µg/inch micronaire value.
Dr Pankaj Rathore, Director-cum-Principal Cotton Breeder, PAU Regional Research Station, Faridkot and Dr Dharminder Pathak, Principal Plant Breeder, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, were also present on the occasion.
