Lahore, 15 Oct 2023: In a breakthrough for Pakistan’s agriculture sector, Punjab University-Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB) has introduced a new triple gene cotton variety, CKC-05. Designed to resist pink bollworm and glyphosate, this innovation is projected to reduce cotton production costs for farmers by an estimated PKR 170 billion per year.
Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Idrees Ahmad Nasir and Prof. Dr. Tayyeb Hasnain, CKC-05 boasts high-yield characteristics and the ability to counteract all types of bollworms, including the otherwise expensive-to-manage pink bollworm. The Punjab Seed Council has greenlit the CKC-5 variety for general cultivation, marking it as a significant accomplishment for Punjab University in their endeavours to elevate cotton production and strengthen Pakistan’s economic foundation.
The CKC technology, encompassing double Bt genes (CEMB-Cry1Ac+Cry2A) and a glyphosate resistance gene (CEMB-GTG), empowers farmers to enhance profits by cutting down on insecticide usage and hoeing expenditures. With CKC technology varieties, such as CKC-1, CKC-3, CKC-5, and CKC-6, almost 70% of the total cotton cultivation area has been covered this year. The adoption of these varieties assists farmers in efficiently managing bollworms and weeds, pushing Pakistan towards cotton self-sufficiency.
Minister of Agriculture, Commerce, and Industry of the Punjab, SM Tanveer, along with Vice Chancellor of Punjab University, Prof. Dr. Khalid Mehmood, toured CEMB’s laboratories focused on biotechnological advancements in agriculture and health. The Minister lauded the team’s achievements, emphasizing the importance of scientific contributions to national growth and the imperative to support research initiatives. Prof. Dr. Khalid Mehmood reiterated the competence of CEMB’s scientists in tackling biotechnological challenges the nation faces, underscoring the urgent need for both encouragement and funding for projects of national import.
During the visit, Director CEMB, Prof. Dr. Moaz ur Rahman, briefed the attendees on diverse research initiatives spanning agriculture and health sectors. With insights from Prof. Dr. Abdul Qayyum Rao on genome editing technology’s potential impact on agriculture and Dr. Allah Bakhsh’s commitment to integrating these lines into CEMB’s cotton breeding program, the future of Pakistan’s cotton industry looks promising.