March 22, 2012

China's transgenic cotton reports major advancement

Chinese scientists have achieved major progress in making the country's second generation of transgenic cotton, according to Li Jiayang, vice minister of agriculture.

The first generation of genetically modified cotton generally refers to breeds developed in the 1990s with a resistance to pests.

However, the development of the new generation has been targeted at improving the quality of cotton fibre, as well as the output and resistance of the crops, said Li, who is also president of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).

Several "landmark" second-generation transgenic cotton breeds and germplasm materials were revealed at a Tuesday press conference.

China has over 100 million cotton farmers and 19 million textile workers, according to Yu Shuxun, director of the CAAS's Cotton Research Institute.

Cotton production is crucial to China's massive textile industry, which relies heavily on imports, Yu said at the press conference.

About 40% of the cotton used last year was imported, Yu noted, adding that a heavy reliance on imports, particularly for high-quality cotton, has become a bottleneck in upgrading China's textile industry.

Yu said the introduction of the new breeds will help to produce high-quality cotton and enhance the competitiveness of the entire industry.