Five papers were presented in the Technical Seminar organized on the topic of "Enhancing the Mechanism of Input Interaction in Cotton Production". In his welcome to the participants, the CHAIR said that farmers need to be encouraged to reduce input use also to improve the image of cotton as a sustainable commodity.Dr. Mehboob-u-Rahman, ICAC Researcher of the Year 2014, presented a paper on the 'Role of genetic and genetic engineering in optimizing input use' wherein he focused on guiding principles for future research on cotton. He stated that there is a need to close the gap conventional and genomic tools for incorporating genes involved in enhancing water use efficiency, extend high net photosynthetic rate, improve plant architecture, improve root structure and enhance lint to seed ratio. Regarding the root system, Dr. Rahman stated that scavenging and capturing water and nutrients from deeper layers of the soil would minimize the need to apply these inputs from above ground. Identification of genomic regions that can confer such a root system and their introgression in conventional varieties using DNA markers has tremendous benefits. Delayed leaf senescence is another top priority area for molecular biologists. Dr. Rahman mentioned a study undertaken in collaboration with the USDA wherein a huge resource ofgermplasm against the leaf curl disease has been identified in Pakistan. Many asymptomatic accessions are under study for identifying DNA markers. Other genomic studies like RNAi using virus pathogens and the whitefly control using sex lethal genes should continue to combat the rapidly evolving viral genome. Many other characters that are complex and difficult to improve through conventional technologies can be tailored using DNA marker technologies. Answering to a question from the floor, Dr. Rahman stated that though no gene from G. raimondii has yet been commercially utilized, a huge potentialexists for future uses. Dr. Rahman's presentation is a statement of the meeting.
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