Pakistani scientists develop virus resistant cotton

Cotton leaf curl virus, a very damaging virus disease in Pakistan, is hoped to be controlled with a biotech cotton resistant to the virus developed by Drs. Idrees Ahmad Nasir and Saleem Haider of Punjab Universitys Centre for Excellence Molecular Biology (CEMB) and the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, respectively.

Cotton leaf curl virus, a very damaging virus disease in Pakistan, is hoped to be controlled with a biotech cotton resistant to the virus developed by Drs. Idrees Ahmad Nasir and Saleem Haider of Punjab Universitys Centre for Excellence Molecular Biology (CEMB) and the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, respectively. The genetically modified cotton was developed using RNAi technology in the best cotton varieties of Punjab. Confirmatory tests that will be conducted in 1 to 2 years are still needed before the seeds become available to the farmers. Punjab Minister for Agriculture Malik Ahmed Ali Aulakh lauded the researchers for their progress and expressed the support of the Punjab government in biotech projects to enhance crop production of cotton and other major crops.
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