Breeding of Cotton and Jute

1. The UNO
declared 2009 as
“The Year of
Natural Fibers.”

2. Year Designated by UN as
2020 The United Nations (UN) is declaring 2020 the
‘International Year of Plant Health.’ Capping off the
‘Decade on Biodiversity,’ the UN continues to recognize
and promote healthy ecosystems as key to sustainable
development.
2016 International Year of Pulses
2015 International Year of Soils
2010 International Year of Biodiversity
2009 International Year of Natural Fibres
2008 International Year of the Potato

3. List of vegetable fibers
Vegetable fibers are generally based on arrangements of cellulose, often with lignin.

4. Fibres – Cotton and Jute
The UNO declared 2009 as “The Year of Natural Fibers.”

5. Cotton (Gossypium sps)
(2n = 2x = 26
2n = 4x = 52)
Family : Malvaceae

7. Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is the most commonly
grown natural fiber and oil seed crop throughout the
world.
Cotton is grown in tropical and sub-tropical
regions of more than 80 countries of the world.
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in
a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the
cotton plants of the genus Gossypium.
 The fiber is almost pure cellulose.
Under natural conditions, the cotton bolls will
increase the dispersal of the seeds.

8. Cotton seed oil

10. Origin: Central Africa
Distribution:
World: China, USA, India, Pakistan, Egypt.
India: Rajasthan, Maharashtra, M.P. Gujarat, A.P.
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Progenitors: Gossypium africanum
G. raimondii
Gossypium africanum – reached India by traders
and travelers and differentiated into two species
G. herbaceum and G. arboreum

11. Global distribution of Gossypium (cotton) cultivation

14. Sr.NoBotanical Name Chromosome No Genome Remarks
1 G.herbaceum 2n=26 A1A1
Deshi or old world
cotton
2 G.arboreum 2n=26 A2A2
Deshi or old world
cotton
3
G.hirsutum ( upland or
American cotton) 2n=52 A1A1D1D1
American or new
world cotton
4
G.barbadense
( Egyptian or Peruvian
cotton) 2n=52 A2A2D2D2
American or new
world cotton
SPECIES :
Cotton belongs to genus Gossypium. The genus has 35 diploid
(ABCDEFG genomes) and 7 tetraploid species out of these only two
diploid and two tetraploid species are categorized as cultivated.

18. India is the only country where all the 4 cultivated species are
grown for commercial cultivation.

21. Cultivated Species:
I. Asiatic cottons or old world cotton (Diploid
cotton – 2n = 26)
G. arboreum –
G. herbaceum –
II. New world cotton (Tetraploid cottons – 2n =
52)
G. hirsutum – American / upland cotton
G. barbadense – Egyption / sea island cotton
G. hirsutum is predominant species which
contributes about 90% to the current world
production.

22. Cotton
species
Cotton
fiber type
Length Properties
Gossypium
hirsutum
Short-staple
(SS) cotton
fiber
up to 1.125
inches long
not as high-
quality as other
forms of this
textile fiber
Gossypium
barbadense
Extra-long-
staple
(ELS)
between
1.125 and
1.25 inches
long
consists of
longer cotton
fibers that
produce softer
and more
luxurious textiles
Cotton Plant Varieties

24. UTILISATION OF WILD SPECIES
• Improvement in Quality: High fibre length -
G.thurberi, G.raimondii and G.barbadense
• Disease Resistance: rust resistance from
G.raimondii
• Insect Resistance: Jassid and Thrips resistance
from G. tomentosum and boll weevil resistance from
G.armourianum
• Drought Resistance: Drought resistance in upland
cotton (G.hirsutum) was transferred from Asiatic
Cottons (G. arboreum and G. hirsutum)
• Male Sterility: Cytoplasmic male sterility -
G.harknessii, G.anomalum and G.aridum

26. Breeding objectives
1. High yield (more bolls, bigger bolls and high
lint percentage)
Lint % = weight of fibre / weight of cotton
Lint index = 100 seed weight X lint % / 100– lint %

27.  Early maturity
 Superior fibre quality
A.Fibre length
 Superior, long fibre -27mm or more
 Long fibre - 24.5 - 26 mm
 Superior, medium long - 22 - 24 mm
 Medium long - 20 – 21.5 mm
 Small fibre - 19mm or less
 B. Fibre strength
 C. Fibre fitness
 Better plant type- – less spreading and dwarf plants are preferred
 Resistance to diseases -Seedling rot , Fusarium wilt, Verticillium
wilt, Bacterial light
 Resistance to insects - Cotton boll worms, Spotted worm, Jassids and
thrips, White fly, Aphid
 Resistance to abiotic stresses.

28. Breeding Methods:
Cotton is often cross pollinated- heterozygosity
for many alleles becomes a chief feature of the
varieties developed as improved populations.
The varieties developed through strict pureline
breeding are devoid of the desired level of
heterozygosity and are consequently less vigorous
and low yielder.

29. Breeding Procedures
1. Introduction : Cambodia cotton in South
India, MCU- 1
2. Selection : K1 cotton reselection from SRT -1
3. Hybridization and selection
a) Inter varietal :
MCU 5 - Multiple cross derivative
MCU 6 - Multiple cross derivative
MCU 9 - (MCU 5 x MCU 8)
MCU 11 - (MCU 5 x Egyptian hirsutum)

30. b) Inter specific hybridization:
Origin of New World Cotton
G. herbaceum Var africanum linted X G. rarimondii lintless
Old world cotton American cotton
Diploid (2n=2x=26) Diploid (2n=2x=26)
AA DD
F1 hybrid
Diploid 2n=2x=26
AD Sterile
Doubling of chromosomes
G. hirsutum
New world cotton Amphidiploid
2n = 4x = 52
AA DD

31. 4. Heterosis breeding
 India is the first country in the world to release first commercial hybrid
in cotton.
 C.T. Patel was mainly responsible for the hyrid cotton revolution in
India.
 Hybrid 4, the first commercial hybrid, was released by him I 1970. It
had the parentage of G 67 and American Nectariless.
 India was the first country to commercially cultivate intra- hirsutum
hybrid.
Both intraspecific and interspecific hybrids are evolved in cotton.
a) Intraspecific : G.hirsutum x G.hirsutum
Shankar (H4) cotton of Surat (Gujarat 67 x American nectariless)
b) Interspecific hybrids : Varalakshmi
(Laxmi x SB 289E) (G.hirsutum) x (G.barbadense)
Using cytoplasmic genetic male sterility can also produce the hybrid. The
first public bred hybrid released for commercial seed production is
PKV HY 3 followed by PKV HY 4.

32. 5. Mutation breeding
MCU 7- Xray irradiated mutant of L 1143
MCU 10 - Gamma irradiated mutant of MCU 4
Indore – 2
MCU – 5
Rasmi
6. Population improvement followed in USA
 The name Pima is generally applied to Extra long staple
cotton.
 Recurrent selection : Pima S1 Pima S4 of G.barbadense
 Synthetic variety : Deltapine 15 developed at konyvllwer
USA.
 Composite : Pima 17 of G.barbadense.

33. 7. Genetic Engineering (Biotechnology)
 Has helped in developing transgenic Bt cotton with
resistance to Helicoverpa.
 The resistant gene (Cry1Ac) has been transferred from
bacteria Bascillus thuringiensis into cotton plant by
Monsanto Seed Company in U.S.A.
 The crystal (cry) gene types encode insecticidal crystal
proteins (ICPs) that are specific to Lepidoptera (cry1),
Diptera and Lepidoptera (cry2), Coleoptera (cry3),
Diptera (cry4), or Coleoptera and Lepidoptera (cry5).
 The gene coding for Bt toxin has been inserted into cotton
as a transgene, causing it to produce this natural
insecticide in its tissues.

35. Bt cotton, as GM cotton is known, is the only commercialized GM
crop in India.
Mahyco-Monsanto Biotech Ltd introduced its first-generation Bt
cotton, called Bollgard I (BG-I) in 2002 and Bollgard II (BG-II) in
2006.
Bollgard II contains two Bacillus thuringiensis genes Cry1Ac and
Cry2Ab which both control certain Lepidopteran larvae when they feed
on it.
Cry1Ac is specific to Lepidoptera (moths, including our major
pests, Helicoverpaspp.) and Cry2Ab to Diptera (flies) and
Lepidoptera, giving inbuilt protection against the larvae
of Helicoverpa spp.
India has bred Bt-cotton varieties such as Bikaneri Nerma and
hybrids such as NHH-44.
Punjab Agricultural University(PAU) has successfully developed the
country’s first Bt cotton varieties. ICAR has identified three varieties,
namely PAU Bt 1, F1861 and RS 2013, for cultivation in Punjab,
Haryana, Rajasthan. It is a cheaper alternative to Bt cotton hybrid seed.

37. Advantages
1. Increases yield of cotton due to effective control of three
types of bollworms, viz., American, Spotted and Pink
bollworms.
2. Insects belonged to Lepidoptera (Bollworms) are sensitive
to crystalline endotoxic protein produced by Bt gene
which in turn protects cotton from bollworms.
3. Reduction in insecticide use in the cultivation of Bt cotton
in which bollworms are major pests.
4. Potential reduction in the cost of cultivation (depending
on seed cost versus insecticide costs).
5. No health hazards due to rare use of insecticides
(particularly who is engaged in spraying of insecticides).

38. Refuge crop
Growers need to plant up to 80% of their area with Bt and at least
20% must be planted with non-Bt (refuge area).

40. Disadvantages
1. High cost of Bt cotton seeds as compared
to non Bt cotton seeds.
2. Effectiveness up to 120 days, after that
the toxin producing efficiency of the Bt
gene drastically reduces.
3. Ineffective against sucking pests like
jassids, aphids, whitefly etc.

41. CICR developed simple ‘dip-stick’ kits and ‘ELISA’ (Enzyme
Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay)

42. Hybrids:
Interspecific hybrids- Varalakshmi, HB 224
Intraspecific hybrids- Dhanalaxmi, H4, H6
Desi cotton - DH 7, DH9
Male sterility based hybrids- Suguna, PKVHY3,
ARDH- 7
Varieties: MCU – 5, MCU – 10, K9, K10

44. It takes one pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to
conventionally grow the three pounds of cotton needed to make a
T-shirt and a pair of jeans.

45. ECO-FRIENDLY COTTON
Cotton cultivated without using fertilizers
pesticides and other chemicals (organic farming)
 Residue of these chemicals removed during
first two seasons of cultivation
Cotton from third season onwards is eco-
friendly
Indentified by logos
Organic cotton
Green cotton
Natural cotton

46. Organic cotton in India
Five to seven decades ago, most of the cotton cultivated
in the country was ‘eco-friendly’ with little or no use of
toxic chemicals in its production.
Even today, there are many pockets in India, where it
is produced without the use of agrochemicals, e.g., areas
growing Wagad cotton in Gujarat, Y-1 desi cotton of
Khandesh region of Maharashtra, Maljari in Madhya
Pradesh, part of areas growing Jayadhar and Suyodhar
in Karnataka.
Nandigama in Andhra Pradesh and parts of cotton
areas in north eastern hill region.

48. NATURALLY COLOURED COTTON
Cotton that grows with natural colours during cultivation both
white and coloured cottons known since time immemorial In India.

49. Breeding centers
 International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC),
Washington, D.C., United States
 ICCC – Indian Central Cotton Committee -1921
 Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR)
Nagpur
 All India Coordinated Cotton Improvement
Project (AICCIP), Coimbatore
 CIRCOT - Central Institute for Research on
Cotton Technology, Mumbai - 1924

50. Family: Malvaceae (formerly under Tiliaceae)
(2n=14)

52. Jute is known as the ‘Golden Fibre’ due to its golden
brown colour and its importance.
Jute is the cheapest and the second most important vegetable
fibre following cotton in terms of global production,
consumption, and availability.
Jute fibre is 100% biodegradable and recyclable and thus,
environment friendly.
It is one of the most versatile natural fibres that has been in
use as raw material for packaging, textiles, non-textiles,
construction, and agricultural sectors.
It helps to make best quality industrial yarn, fabric, net, and
sacks.
In the era of growing awareness about environmental
pollution and ecological degradation due to synthetic polymers,
the importance of natural fibre like jute is gaining momentum.

54.  The genus Corchorus includes about
87 species. In India only 8 species
occur.
Two cultivated species are
 C.capsularis : White jute 50 races
occur in this
 C.olitorius : Tossa jute 8 races occur
in this.
 Both the species are not crossable.

55. White jute Tossa jute
C.capsularis C.olitorius
Fibre is white in colour Fibre is golden in colour
Yields less fibre/unit area Yields more fibre/unit area
Fibre is course, less lustrous and
more rooty
Fiber is finer, softer, more,
lustrous and less rooty
Not grown much in India Accounts 75% of the total land
area under jute cultivation
Does not easily adapt to harsh
climatic conditions
Hardy and highly adaptable
Can be grown only on lowlands Grows well on both lowlands and
uplands
Single flush of flowering Pre mature flowering is the
major draw back
Differences between White jute and Tossa jute

56. Corchorus olitorius (Tossa Jute) Corchorus capsularis (White Jute)

57. White jute (C.capsularis) Tossa jute (C.olitorius )

60. Distribution pattern of wild species of Corchorus in Africa,
Australia, South America, Caribbean Island, and Indian
subcontinent
The primary center of origin and diversity of the wild
taxa of Corchorus appears to be Africa

61. Representative wild species of Corchorus including available Indian species
Representative wild species of Corchorus including available Indian species (a) Corchorus
aestuans, (b) Corchorus depressus, (c) Corchorus fascicularis, (d) Corchorus
pseudocapsularis, (e) Corchorus pseudo-olitorius, (f) Corchorus tridens, (g) Corchorus
trilocularis, (h) Corchorus urticifolius, (i) Corchorus cunnighamii, (j) Corchorus hirsutus,
(k) Corchorus sedoides, (l) Corchorus walcottii

63. Breeding objectives
1. Breeding for high yielding short duration jute
varieties.
Early varieties are generally low yielders whereas
late varieties are high yielders. So to combine high
yield with earliness is one of the main objectives.
Yield is positively correlated with plant height, basal
diameter of stem, fibre-stick ratio.
Higher photo synthetic capacity with increased
lamina length, breadth, petiole length and leaf
angle at 40O also contribute to yield.

64. 2. Breeding for quality fibre
In jute quality is negatively, correlated
with yield. The quality characters are
a) Fibre length.
b) Fibre strength
c) Fibre colour
d) Lustre
e) Percentage and quality of retting

65. Retting is a process in which the tied bundles of jute stalks are
taken to the tank by which fibres get loosened and separated from
the woody stalk. The bundles are steeped in water at least 60 cm
to 100 cm depth.

67. 3. Breeding for pest and disease resistant varieties
In pests, stem borer and aphids cause greater damage and
in diseases Macrophomena is major.
Though resistance sources are available in other related
species, the crossability barrier prevents transfer.
4. Breeding varieties for high seed yield :
Since jute is cut for fibre at 50% flowering stage, it is
essential to reserve some plants for production of
seeds.
The fibre obtained from seed crop will be poor in quality.
Hence it is necessary to breed varieties specially for
high seed production without loosing quality
characters.

68. 5. Breeding for olitorius varieties having non-
shattering habit coupled with non-pre
flowering habit.
 JRO 524
 JRO 7885
 Sudan green x JRO 632

69. Breeding Methods
1. Germplasm building and Utilization
 Central Jute Technological Research
Institute, Calcutta is maintaining the Jute
collections.
 This shows wide range of variability thus
offering a great scope for improvement by
selection and hybridsation.
2. Introduction : Introduced short duration
varieties are Jap green, Jap red, Jaichung
sudan green.

70. 3. Hybridization and selection
a) Inter-varietal: Multiple crossing and
selection are followed both in olitorius and
capsularis improvement.
In olitorius improved varieties are JRO 524,
JRO 7885.
In capsularis JRL 412, JRL 919
Since yield and quality are negatively
correlated a balance must be struck in
breeding for improved varieties.

71. b) Inter-specific cross:
So far not successful. Attempts were made
by straight cross mixed pollen method,
Stigmatic paste method, self anther paste
method, stigma cut method polyploidy
breeding. But none of them proved
successful. Difference in embryo endosperm
growth is the reason.
4. Mutation breeding : Using X-rays useful
jute mutants were obtained at Calcutta JRC
7447 and Rupali two varieties.

73. The International Jute Organization (IJO),
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Central Research Institute for Jute and
Allied Fibers (CRIJAF), Barrackpore, West
Bengal
NIRJAFT - National Institute of Research on
Jute and Allied Fibre Technology, Kolkata,
West Bengal
NINFET- National Institute of Natural Fibre
Engineering and Technology, Kolkata