MULTAN: Cotton Research Station (CRS) Director Dr Sagher Ahmed has revealed that the Multan station has achieved success against cotton leaf curl virus, a highly dangerous diseased causing loss of nearly two million bales to country.
Director Dr Sagher Ahmed said this while talking to state-owned news agency, APP. He said that cotton leaf curl virus was causing immense losses not only to farmers but also the country’s economy. He said that agricultural scientists were struggling hard to cure nearly 48 year old cotton disease in the country.
The disease was observed first time in 1967 in the country, he added. He said that cotton leaf curl virus used to reduce nearly six to seven maund per acre yield and thus it was heavy loss for the farmers.
Dr Sagher informed that Cotton Research Station Multan under Punjab Agricultural Research Board’s five year project achieved a big success to contain the disease. He claimed that genetic repeated crossings between “Desi” cotton and American cotton helped scientist to develop leaf curl virus resistant verities.
