For revolutionizing the cotton industry, the Punjab University has signed a memorandum of understanding to make available newly-invented disease resistant cotton seed to the farmers via 7 multi-national companies countrywide.
Ceremony for signing MoU was held at committee room of Vice Chancellor’s office. PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr. Zafar Moeen Nasir, along with Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology Prof Dr. Tayyab Husnain, Dr. Idrees Ahmad Nasir and representatives of 7 multinational companies i.e. Aurigo Group, Multan, Bahar Seed Corporation (Regd.), Sadiqabad, ICI Pakistan Ltd, Lahore, Neelum Seeds, Jahanian, SunCrop Group, Multan and Weal AG Corporation, Multan were part of the occasion.
Prof Dr. Zafar Moeen Nasir, PU Vice-Chancellor said that the BT cotton seed invented by PU scientists would underwrite around 4 billion dollars to economy and start giving results in fair 2 years.
He said that poor farmers will save Rs 20,000 per acre and since the reusable cotton seed used over 8 million acres of land to save Rs 144 billion collectively. Vice-chancellor said giving technical details, that BT cotton seed was disease resistant, insect resistant, weedicide resistant and drought tolerant. He stated that it was first genetically-modified cotton seed of Pakistan. He said that modern molecular genetic engineering and DNA cloning techniques had been used for developing this GM seed.
He said that seven international companies agreed to purchase of these seed varieties and now it’s time to benefits common people of academic research. He said that PU scientists including Dr. Tayyab Husnain, Dr. Idrees Nasir, Dr. Ahmed Ali Shahid, Dr. Kausar Malik, Dr. Bushra Rashid and Dr. Abdul Qayyum had momentous contributions in development of BT cotton seed varieties. He said that genetically modified BT cotton seed varieties commercialized through these seed marketing companies for Pakistani agriculture sector. He said that the assertions would create extra income for college to be allotted for such research ventures and so on. He said that PU was assuming its part for nation’s socio-economic development.