Nagpur, 27 Feb

(HS): The researchers at the Indian Council of Agriculture Research – Central

Institute of Cotton Research (ICAR-CICR), Nagpur, have developed with new

varieties of brown and green colour cotton. With the development of naturally

coloured cotton, dying may be eliminated and the cotton growers and processors

will be able to earn more.

Though the

coloured cotton has short staple length, it is completely chemical-free, soft

and with very high wash durability because of its natural colour. Experiments

with more natural colours in cotton may be performed with available genetic

resources.

The researchers

have identified distinct shades – light brown and dark brown. The brown colour

shade depends on exposure to the Sunlight after the cotton bolls open. This was

not experienced in Green colour cotton.

While the

research is in its early stages, scientists are working on producing longer

staple variety.

The naturally coloured

cotton is chemical-free chemical fertilizers are not used and dying process

which is expensive will be completely eliminated.

With the

availability of information in the field of plant genetics, more coloured

varieties of colour cotton could be developed.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar