India will initiate a project to promote DNA testing of cotton for the development of cotton markers.
This was informed by Indian textile minister Piyush Goyal while presiding over a meeting with the Textile Advisory Group (TAG), which reviewed progress on initiatives for the cotton value chain.
The DNA testing of the cotton project will be done in partnership with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI).
The objective of the project is to develop genetic markers for precise discrimination of both inter- and intra-species cotton varieties and establish a protocol for extraction of DNA from various stages of textile sector production.
These stages begin with cotton fibre, cotton yarn, gray cotton fabric, unbleached cotton fabric, bleached cotton fabric, printed cotton fabric, finished cotton dyed fabric, etc.
Goyal also checked out the progress of a project on cotton, which aims to hike productivity, and stated that the need of the hour for India is to increase cotton yields.
India to initiate project on DNA testing of cotton
