Chinese scientists join hands with Pakistani universities and scientific research institutions to do research on cotton germplasm. [Photo provided to China Economic Net]

BEIJING, July 14 (China Economic Net) - “The cooperation between China and Pakistan in the collection and identification of cotton germplasm resources is of great pith and moment,” said Prof. Du Xiongming, director of Cotton Germplasm Resources Division, Institute of Cotton Research (ICR) of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), adding that for now the two countries have exchanged over 300 cotton germplasm resources.

As per Prof. Du, China and Pakistan have been co-working for many years in the field of collecting and identifying cotton germplasm resources. ICR, CAAS has joined hands with Cotton Research Institute (CRI), Multan, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and some other universities and scientific research institutions to identify cotton germplasms’ resistance to heat, drought, diseases and insect pests in different places and environments, and jointly published scientific research papers on that.

ICR, CAAS has been devoted to the training of talented Pakistanis in the field of basic cotton research. [Photo provided to China Economic Net]

In addition, through the Industry-University-Research (IUR) cooperation, ICR, CAAS has been devoted to the training of talented Pakistanis in the field of basic cotton research. Prof. Du's laboratory has trained 11 Pakistani doctoral students (including 5 graduates), 2 postdocs and 2 visiting scholars so far.

Cotton germplasm resources are important material for basic and applied research of cotton. “Pakistan's Asiatic Cotton (G. arboreum) is different from that in China. In terms of genetic characteristics of Gossypium hirsutum Linn, China's cotton is known for its high yield, high quality and precocity, while Pakistan's cotton is famous for its resistance to heat, drought, saline-alkali and Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV),” noted Prof. Du, who received China’s second National Innovation Competition Award in May, therefore, “the cooperation between China and Pakistan in the collection and identification of cotton germplasm resources is of great pith and moment.”

Prof. Du visits the research field of Cotton Research Institute, Multan in Pakistan. [Photo provided to China Economic Net]

According to Prof. Du, the prevention and control of many major diseases and insect pests are very much related to the research of germplasm resources. He said, for example, that in Asia and Africa the major disease of cotton is caused by CLCV, and this virus devastated the Pakistan cotton industry in early 1990s where it caused an estimated yield reduction of 30-35%.

If Asiatic Cotton (G. arboreum)’s genetic characteristics of resistance to CLCV can be transferred into Gossypium hirsutum Linn. via distant hybridization and gene modification technology, the problem caused by CLCV that has troubled Pakistani cotton farmers for many years will be solved.

Being in the institute for over 30 years, Du has published 48 SCI papers in the journal Nature Genetics, etc. as the first or corresponding author. “Compared with Pakistan, China's germplasm resources research is more comprehensive and systematic, and has advanced from phenotypic identification to genotypic identification,” he mentioned, adding that ICR, CAAS will further deepen cooperation with Pakistan in the field of cotton germplasm resources and breeding, so as to promote the development of the cotton industry and personnel training for both countries.