ISLAMABAD, Aug 4 (ABC): Pakistan approved 14 cotton varieties during 2021-2025 featuring improved fibre quality, higher ginning outturn (GOT), heat tolerance, drought tolerance and bollworm resistance, strengthening the country’s cotton seed portfolio and supporting the textile industry.
Official documents available with Wealth Pakistan show that two major cotton research institutions developed the approved varieties. The Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI), Multan, produced 11 varieties, while the Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI), Sakrand, contributed three.
The approved cotton varieties from CCRI Multan include Bt CIM-663, Bt CIM-678, Bt CIM-785, Bt Cyto-535, Cyto-226, CIM-775, CIM-343, Cyto-537, Cyto-511, Bt CIM-775 and Bt CIM-990. CCRI Sakrand developed Bt CRIS-682, Bt CRIS-674 and CRIS-644.
Fibre quality improves across new varieties
The approved varieties recorded ginning outturn (GOT) ranging from 38.2% to 42.3%, staple lengths of up to 29.6mm and fibre strength of up to 33.5.
Cotton quality depends not only on yield but also on fibre characteristics. Micronaire, fibre strength and ginning outturn directly affect spinning performance, yarn quality and fabric durability.
Micronaire measures fibre fineness and maturity. It influences spinning performance, dye absorption and fabric quality. The ideal micronaire range for most spinning mills is between 3.5 and 4.9, and all the approved varieties fall within this range.
Fibre strength determines the force a cotton fibre can withstand before breaking. A strength of 28 to 30 is considered good, 30 to 32 very good and above 32 excellent. The approved varieties recorded fibre strength ranging from 28.3 to 33.5, covering all three quality categories.
Ginning outturn measures the percentage of lint obtained after ginning seed cotton. The approved varieties recorded GOT ranging from 38.2% to 42.3%. A GOT between 38% and 40% is generally considered good, while anything above 40% is regarded as excellent.
Leading varieties deliver stronger performance
Among the approved varieties, CIM-775, released by CCRI Multan in 2023, recorded the highest ginning outturn at 42.3%. It also achieved a staple length of 27.1mm, a micronaire value of 4.8 and fibre strength of 28.6. The documents describe the variety as highly tolerant to cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV).
Cyto-226 recorded the highest staple length among all approved varieties at 29.6mm. Released in 2021, it achieved a ginning outturn of 40.3%, a micronaire value of 4.89 and fibre strength of 28.44. Researchers describe it as a high-yielding variety with strong fibre characteristics.
CIM-343 recorded the highest fibre strength of 33.5. Researchers released the variety in 2023 and identified it as drought-tolerant and resistant to bollworm.
Bt Cyto-535, approved in 2021, recorded a ginning outturn of 41.5%, a staple length of 28.4mm, a micronaire value of 3.97 and fibre strength of 28.85. Researchers say the variety combines good fibre characteristics, large bolls and high-yield potential.
Cyto-537, released in 2023, also demonstrated strong fibre quality. It recorded a ginning outturn of 41%, a staple length of 28.3mm, a micronaire value of 3.8 and fibre strength of 31.5. Researchers list it as a high-yielding variety with good fibre quality.
Climate-resilient cotton receives priority
The research programme placed strong emphasis on developing climate-resilient and pest-resistant cotton to help farmers cope with changing weather conditions and production challenges.
Researchers developed Bt CIM-663 in 2021 as a heat-tolerant, high-yielding variety. It recorded a ginning outturn of 40.2%, a staple length of 28.6mm, a micronaire value of 4.1 and fibre strength of 30.4.
Researchers also approved Bt CIM-678 in 2021. The variety combines heat tolerance with early and uniform maturity, making it suitable for improving crop management and harvesting efficiency.
Bt CIM-785 combines heat tolerance, bollworm resistance and high-yield potential. It recorded a ginning outturn of 40%, a staple length of 28.8mm, a micronaire value of 4.7 and fibre strength of 31.2.
Sindh strengthens cotton improvement programme
CCRI Sakrand developed three approved cotton varieties, strengthening Sindh’s contribution to Pakistan’s cotton improvement programme.
Bt CRIS-682 and Bt CRIS-674, both approved in 2024, each recorded a ginning outturn of 38.5%. Bt CRIS-682 achieved a staple length of 28mm, a micronaire value of 4.7 and fibre strength of 29.1, while Bt CRIS-674 recorded a staple length of 28.2mm, a micronaire value of 4.6 and fibre strength of 29.3.
CRIS-644 recorded a ginning outturn of 40.5%, a staple length of 28.4mm, a micronaire value of 4.4 and fibre strength of 28.3. The documents list it as a non-Bt, high-yielding cotton variety.
Overall, the 14 newly approved cotton varieties combine improved fibre quality, climate resilience and pest resistance. These characteristics are expected to boost cotton productivity, strengthen Pakistan’s textile industry and improve the competitiveness of Pakistani cotton in international markets.
