Cotton is a soft, fluffy fiber grown in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, Pakistan, India and Africa. The fiber is most often spun into yarn or thread and used to make cloth for clothing.
Cotton thrives in environments with a long frost-free period, plenty of sunshine, and a moderate rainfall (24-48 inches per year). Soils usually need to be fairly heavy, although the level of nutrients is less important. The cotton plant is generally salt- and drought-tolerant, making it an attractive crop in arid and semi-arid regions. Cotton is a perennial crop in the tropics, and without defoliation or freezing, the plant will continue to grow.
Pioneer started its current cotton program in 2009 with the purchase of seed company Nandi Seeds, based in Mehboob Nagar, and the acquisition of cotton germplasm from Nagarjuna Seeds, based in Secunderabad, both located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Today, Pioneer has one research station focused on developing superior cotton hybrids to serve key markets in north, south and central zones in India. The addition of cotton to the product line-up in India has helped Pioneer enhance offerings to customers in the market.
At a glance…
Indian farmers grow more than 9 million hectares of cotton each year.
The largest producers of cotton are China and India. The United States is among the leading exporters of cotton.
Our product development is focused on:
- Yield
- High-density plant types
- Drought tolerance
- Bollworm resistance
- Sucking pest tolerance
- Superior fiber quality traits
The latest tools, trait technologies and processes are used to develop superior germplasm for creating high-value products for our customers.
