Central Institute For Cotton Research, Sisra

Campus Location: Sirsa

Located in The north zone (Punjab, Haryana and Rajastan) occupies only 15.9% of the total cultivated area but contributes more than 18.5% of the production and varieties /hybrids (including Bt hybrids) limited to only G.hirsutum and G.arboreum. The central zone (Maharahtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat ), occupying more than 67.7% of the total area but contributes less than 60% to the total production and is characterized by rampant proliferation of hybrids. Bt technology has been extensively adopted in this region. The south zone (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) is typical of all types of cotton, hybrids (inter and intra-specific, diploid and tetraploid) and varieties (diploid and tetraploid). The south zone is occupying 15.3% of area and contributing nearly 16.3% in national production.Thus within a span of six years nearly 66.4% of the cotton area in India came under Bt hybrid umbrella Among the major Bt cotton-growing states Maharashtra leads the others with 26 lakh ha.(41 % of all Bt cotton in India in 2007) cotton followed by Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh with 13.0 (20.55%) and 10.0 lakh ha. (15.81%) respectively and Madhya Pradesh with 4.71 lakh ha (7.45%). Among the northern states the area was maximum in Punjab with 5.57 lakh ha. (8.80) followed by Haryana 2.79 lakh ha. (4.41). It is estimated that approximately 2.3 million small farmers cultivated on average 1.65 hectars of Bt cotton in 2006.Thus, it can be seen that the cultivation of Bt cotton hybrids has picked up momentum in the last two years and it is being cultivated in all the three cotton growing zones of the country., Keeping in view the importance of this crop in our national agricultural and economic scenario, it received special attention of the Government earlier through Indian Central Cotton Committee and now through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.Further the research efforts under All India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project. (AICCIP) were initiated by the Council in the year 1967. The establishment of AICCIP gave new fillip and direction in terms of multi- disciplinary and multi-centre approaches with the active involvement of State Agriculture Universities., Vision, Improving production and quality of Indian Cotton (including the development of transgenics resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses) with reduced cost to make cotton production cost effective and competitive in the national and global market., Mission, To develop economically viable and eco-friendly production and protection technologies for enhancing quality cotton production by 2-3% every year on a sustainable basis for the next fifteen years (till 2025)., The regional station at Sirsa (Haryana) situated in the northern cotton belt is primarily concerned with the R & D requirement for the irrigated northern zone. The basic, fundamental and applied research work is being undertaken in the following disciplines: Plant Breeding, Entomology, Plant Pathology and Seed Technology., Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC), Access to information, dissemination and adoption or application are important dimensions of a development system. It is a fact that several useful technologies evolved are confined within research organizations. In this context, the Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC) of CICR was established in the year 2000. ATIC plays a major role in dissemination of information regarding various agricultural sciences, anima~ husbandry, sericulture, apiculture and training pertaining to different topics of agricultural sciences, to farmers, farm women, horticulturists and dairy men through its publication and information system.Other service sections such as RCM Unit, Farm Section, Library, Art & Photography, Administration and Accounts support the research activities of the Institute., The laboratories inherited from the erst-while IARI Regional Station were strengthened with the provision of some sophisticated equipment and facilities including computer facility. The regional station has well developed farm with 20 ha. of land with irrigation facilities for research purpose.All the three research farms are well equipped with tractors and other farm implements and efforts are underway to initiate further developmental work in all the farms., CENTRAL INSTITUTE FOR COTTON RESEARCH,, Regional Station, Sirsa - 125 055,, Haryana,, India, Telephone : (01666) 220428, 233832, Fax : (01666) 230271, URL : www.cicr.org.in. Use Google Maps for turn-by-turn driving directions to the campus.