Future Activities
The Cotton Research Institute is planning to extend its research activities to cover some new prospective areas in the future. This matter will be mostly achieved through collaborative research studies with other research institutes such as plant diseases, plant protection, soil and water, agricultural engineering, genetic engineering, field crops and agricultural extension.
The following points summarize the future prospects of the Cotton Research Institute:-
1- Breeding new cotton varieties that are naturally resistant to pests and diseases through utilizing the beneficial mutations of nectariless, frego bracts and okra - leaf cotton plants .
2- Breeding cotton varieties tolerant to stresses such as heat, drought and salinity.
3- Breeding cotton varieties with high contents of oil and protein to be used as a source of edible oil and animal feed.
4- Breeding early mature and short-season cotton varieties appropriate to agricultural intensification system.
5- Annual renewal of the strains of the commercial Egyptian cotton varieties to secure genetic purity.
6- Quantification of cotton grade in terms of numerical values using the measurements of the grade determining factors of color brilliance (Rd %), micronaire reading and trash grade code which are all measured on the HVI instrument. Furthermore, developing color diagrams to be used in determining the grade of the Egyptian cotton varieties , similar to the color diagrams of the American Upland and Pima cottons.
7- Conducting elaborate and detailed studies on cotton fiber intrinsic characteristics including fineness, secondary wall thickness, single fiber strength and cross-sectional area.
8- Taking into account the character of single yarn elongation as an important quality consideration affecting stiffness, toughness and stress - strain curves of single yarn. Another point of interest is the blending of cotton fibers with other synthetic fibers to produce yarn required to meet specific needs of textile industry.