The Hindu Business Line : SIMA cotton research body to popularise HB 3 hybrid

THE SIMA Cotton Development and Research Association (CDRA) is all set to popularise its HB 3 cotton hybrid. It is looking at phenomenal expansion in area under this hybrid in the coming cotton sowing season.

The research association is planning to strengthen its activity (for popularising HB 3 hybrid) in about 100 acres in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka and a similar acreage in Namakkal belt in Tamil Nadu.

While SIMA-CDRA proposes to enter into joint venture agreements in M.P. and Karnataka for transfer of technology, its Chief Adviser, Dr T.V. Karivaradaraaju, perceives that such agreements will not be necessary in the home State.

He told Business Line that Elavampalayam village in Namakkal District had been identified as a potential belt for HB 3 cultivation. "The plant growth in the demonstration plot is excellent. The crop is about 90days and there is not less than 70 to 80 bolls per plant. The yield levels could rise to 25 to 30 quintals per hectare."

HB 3 is an inter-specific hybrid. The plant matures in 160 to 170 days. It has a fibre length of 38.2 mm and associate with a ginning outturn of 34.3 per cent. It is capable of spinning up to 80 to 100 counts.

The average yield hovers around 25 to 30 quintals/hectare, but the hybrid has recorded a maximum yield of 39 quintals/hectare in farmer's holding.

According to Dr Karivaradaraaju, this hybrid has been found to be better than the ruling hybrids DCH 32 and TCHB 213 at the evaluation trials.

To a question on seed availability, he said: "We have seeds for raising the crop in 125 acres. We will be sending this to Madhya Pradesh. In the cotton season commencing September 2006, we want to increase the area under HB 3 to 1,000 acres. We have located certain areas in Konganapuram and Ponneri in Udumalpet to enhance seed production. This will start in February 2006, so that sufficient quantity of seeds can be made available before the sowing season."

This hybrid was quoting between Rs 4,000 and Rs 4,500 per quintal, he said and added that the research association was concentrating on quality cotton.