Approval and commercial release of conventional, yielding, early maturing and heat tolerant with desirable fiber traits variety CIM-554

Abstract

Changes in the environment including heat and drought significantly declined the production of cotton. CCRI,. Multan developed a new variety CIM-554 through hybridization in this scenario. There is significantly higher yields recorded in advance varietal and agro-climatic Trials at farmers’ fields and Govt. Farms in four consecutive years (2005-2008). In varietal trials, CIM-554 gave 20.2%, 14.5%, 12.6%, 12.8%, 22.7%, and 28.4%, increase- over commercial varieties MNH-786, CIM-534, CIM-496 NIAB-111, CIM-506 and CIM-499 respectively for seed cotton yield. In Zonal varietal trials (2007-08), CIM-554 gave a 4.9% higher yield of seed cotton over standard while in 2008-09, CIM-554 gave 21.8% higher seed cotton over the standard i.e CIM-496. CIM-554 exceeded commercial variety CIM-499 during 2004-05 in Punjab in National level Trial i.e. NCVT. CIM554 had possessed desirable traits with high ginning GOT %age, better fiber qualities, and spinning qualities. Commercial cultivation of this variety significantly contributed to the overall cotton production as well as it can be used as valuable