Cotton cultivar BRS 293 is a midseason high-yield cultivar and has wide adaptation to the Brazilian savanna, yield stability, desirable resistance to main cotton diseases and good fiber quality. The cultivar BRS 293 meets growers? demands for competitive lint yield as well as fulfilling industrial textile requirements. | Cultivar release.

A four-year study on the disease problems in the Indian shrimp farming sectorhas brought to light three important protozoan diseases of cultured shrimp.They are cotton shrimp disease, enteric cephaline gregarine infections andprotozoan fouling caused by microsporean, cephaline gregarines and ciliates,respectively. These diseases are described in detail. Histomorphologicalchanges due to microsporean and epicommensal infections are also discussed.

Cotton has been aptly described as the prosperity plant owing to its unrivalled economic importance as a source of feedstock, food and oil, as well as raw material for diverse industrial applications, ranging from textile and footwear to automobiles, energy, medical and pharmaceutical. As such, over 180 million people of the world depend on its production for livelihood. However, cotton production is grossly hampered, and has long been peaked in many regions where it is being grown. Without prejudice to the genetic improvement already made by conventional breeding with respect to yield and quality over the years, genetic transformation is arguably the last recourse for further development of cotton, especially with respect to the prevailing production constraints of insect pests, weeds, environmental stresses and diseases. This review therefore focuses on the use of somatic embryogenesis as a vehicle for cotton genetic transformation. It indeed attempts to overview the challenges of cotton transformation with respect to narrow genetic base coupled with the recalcitrant nature of the crop species, as well as the research success achieved so far. It then discusses the underlying mechanisms of somatic embryogenesis as well as the current constraints and various strategies being used to overcome them; all with the aim of motivating interest groups to initiate research activities in cotton biotechnology and to strive for its optimization for further genetic improvement.

［目的］选育棉花抗病丰产核雄性不育两用系。［方法］利用棉花优良骨干核不育系GA18，选育出了抗病丰产新不育系RA14、RA15。［结果］RA14、RA15均具有育性稳定、败育彻底、配合力高和植株生长势强等特点；组合测配表明，RA14宜与品质优的恢复系搭配，RA15可与大铃的恢复系搭配。［结论］两个新不育系材料各具优点，可选育出不同类型的棉花新组合，为棉花抗病丰产杂交品种选育提供新材料。_ | ［Objective］ The aim was to breed new cotton genetic male sterile lines with high yield and diseases resistance. ［Methods］ Two new cotton genetic male sterile lines, RA14 and RA15, were bred from the excellent genetic male sterile line GA18. ［Result］ They were possessed of resistance to disease, high yield, stable fertility, thorough abortion, high general combining ability and strong growth potential. The hybrid combinations test results showed that, in order to create fine combination, RA14 should be crossed with restorers of high fiber quality, and RA15 with restorers of big bolls. ［Conclusion］ Two new male sterile lines have their own advantages, different types of new cotton combinations can be selected to provide new materials for breeding of cotton genetic male sterile lines with high yield and diseases resistance. _

The study aimed to analyze the economics of rain fed cotton, sesame and sorghum production in the Blue Nile State and to determine the economic net return of cotton compared to that of sorghum and sesame. It also aimed to identify constraints and suggest suitable solutions to encourage farmers' expansion in rain fed cotton production. The study covered 4 localities (Damazin, Roseris, Bao, and Tadamon). The primary data was collected through structured questionnaire. Secondary data was collected from the State Ministry of Agriculture, Blue Nile State. Data about farmers who planted cotton for one time was collected through a checklist of questions. The study used simple random sample of farmers from each locality and the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics to estimate the net return of the studied crops. . The results showed that farmers of the Blue Nile State depend on their accumulated and inherited experiences which they gained from their forefathers. Insects, pests, diseases, shortage of labor, finance, marketing and late planting recommended by the Agricultural Research Corporation are the main problems that face farmers in the Blue Nile State. Results of the study showed that the cost of cotton production per feddan was the highest followed by sesame and sorghum respectively. However, cotton realized the highest net return followed by sesame and sorghum. The study recommended provision of production inputs, strengthening extension and credit services, improving cultural practices and marketing services

The area under cotton crop in Punjab was 5.30 lakh ha during kharif 2010. The south-western districts of Punjab are responsible of major cotton production in Punjab state. Surveys of various cotton growing areas of Punjab revealed that leaf curl disease (CLCuD) appeared in all the cotton producing areas of Punjab in moderate to severe form on different Bt hybrids and was considered as the major limiting factor for successful cultivation of cotton during kharif 2010. Majority of farmers (>85%) avoided sowing non-descript Bt hybrids, but few farmers still preferred sowing non-descript hybrids brought from Gujrat. Leaf curl was prevalent on all the hybrids in varying proportions and high disease index recorded on RCH 134 (31.0%), Jai (31.75%), Om 333 (38.75%), Shakti 9 (23.75%), Super Maruti (22.0%), Ganga Kaveri (24.0%), Mist (20.5%) and other gujrati varieties like Deepak/Maldar etc (38.0%). Moderate Disease severity was noticed on RCH 314 (10.75%), MRC 7041 (7.75%) and MRC 6317 (8.75%). The varieties which performed better against leaf curl disease were MRC 7017 (1.25%), MRC 7031 (1.75%), MRC 6301 (4.5%), MRC 6304 (5.75%), Sriram 6488 (5.5%) and Sriram 6588 (6.5%). High population (i.e. above ETH level) of whitefly was observed during months of June, July and August further aggravating the problem. The population of whitefly was more in fields where acetamiprid was used alone or as tank mix with other insecticides. Many farmers were sparying fungicides like carbendazim to contain the menace of leaf curl on the advice of pesticide agents and dealers. In addition, the recommended insecticides like imidacloprid and thiomethoxam were used at higher dosages than recommended by some growers. Advisories were issued to the farmers to contain insects- pests and diseases as per the recommendations of PAU through public address system of gurudwaras in the villages as well as through web site of NISPM (Bt cotton). Farmers were also made aware about management of whitefly following economic threshold level and concept of integrated disease management by giving demonstrations on their fields.

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cotton (<it>Gossypium </it>spp.) is an important crop worldwide that provides raw material to 40% of the textile fiber industry. Important traits have been studied aiming the development of genetically modified crops including resistance to insect and diseases, and tolerance to drought, cold and herbicide. Therefore, the characterization of promoters and regulatory regions is also important to achieve high gene expression and/or a specific expression pattern. Commonly, genes involved in ubiquitination pathways are highly and differentially expressed. In this study, we analyzed the expression of a cotton ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2) family member with no previous characterization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Nucleotide analysis revealed high identity with cotton <it>E2 </it>homologues. Multiple alignment showed a premature stop codon, which prevents the encoding of the conserved cysteine residue at the <it>E2 </it>active site, and an intron that is spliced in <it>E2 </it>homologues, but not in <it>GhGDRP85</it>. The <it>GhGDRP85 </it>gene is highly expressed in different organs of cotton plants, and has high transcript levels in roots. Its promoter (uceApro2) and the 5'UTR compose a regulatory region named uceA1.7, and were isolated from cotton and studied in <it>Arabidopsis thaliana</it>. uceA1.7 shows strong expression levels, equaling or surpassing the expression levels of CaMV35S. The uceA1.7 regulatory sequence drives GUS expression 7-fold higher in flowers, 2-fold in roots and at similar levels in leaves and stems. GUS expression levels are decreased 7- to 15-fold when its 5'UTR is absent in uceApro2.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>uceA1.7 is a strong constitutive regulatory sequence composed of a promoter (uceApro2) and its 5'UTR that will be useful in genetic transformation of dicots, having high potential to drive high levels of transgene expression in crops, particularly for traits desirable in flower and root tissues.</p>

In recent years, Bacillus thuringiensis is receiving increasing attention for its use in integrated pest management programs for agricultural and forest insect pests and insect vectors of human and other mammalian transmissible diseases. As the overuse and negative impacts of chemical pesticides on soil, water, human health, wildlife and ecological balance have led to the use of microbial insecticides against insect pests of order Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera and Hemiptera, an attempt has been made to develop low cost Bt formulations for the management of Helicoverpa armigera. Agroindustrial residues and their byproducts can be used for large scale production of B. thuringiensis biomass. Different low cost agro-industrial based nitrogen sources such as cotton seed meal, soya meal, sunflower meal, urea, ammonium sulfate and potassium nitrate were evaluated for Bt biomass production. Among the different nitrogen sources evaluated, maximum biomass of B. thuringiensis isolates was achieved in the medium containing 1.0% cotton seed meal in basal medium. The biomass production in this medium was equivalent to that achieved in LB medium after 48h of growth.