The cotton crop of this variety which is sown during April and early May, has already been sown in most parts of the country. In some states the area under desi cotton would be several times more than the previous years.

Particularly in Haryana, it would be five to six times more this season according to RS Mehla, joint director, directorate of agriculture, Haryana. This new development is outcome of the recommendations of Centre for Cotton Research, Nagpur which has come with an "Action Plan" in view of the crop loss of about Rs 1,400 crore in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and other parts of the country last year.

The centre has suggested that the growers should go for those varieties that were resistant to diseases in cotton plant. The virus that worried the cotton growers and experts was "leafcurl virus" as there did not seem to be any remedy in sight for it. Desi cotton, was less susceptible to all diseases including leaf curl virus.

The chart shows how the cotton crop suffered in the country and a state like Punjab during the successive years. At the national level, the overall decline was from 17.65 million bales during 1996-97 to 16.9 million bales during 1997-98. In Punjab it had come down from 24 lakh bales during 1996-97 to about 16 lakh bales during 1997-98 according to figures collected from various sources.

Taking a cue from cotton crop loss and the recommendations of the cotton research centre at Nagpur, some states have come up with their own action plans in consultation with their agriculture universities. In Haryana total area under cotton cultivation is about 6.5 lakh hectares and area under desi cotton crop this year would around 72,000 hectares. This is five-six times more than the previous year.

The agriculture department of the state was targeting an area of about onelakh hectares under desi cotton in two to three years hence. The director of agriculture, KS Bhoria has held discussions with scientists and experts from Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar in this connection it is learnt. In neighbouring Punjab too, stress is being laid by the Punjab Agriculture University on desi cotton which is being sown on over one lakh hectares this year. Sirsa belt in Haryana and Bathinda in Punjab were the areas where desi cotton was staging a comeback.

This development is likely to bring a major change in the cotton world and the cropping pattern. The major advantage of desi cotton that is sown early and maturity time is less in comparison to American cotton. This results in vacant fields for wheat crop that follows the pattern. Another advantage was that it needs fewer applications of chemical sprays and cultivation cost was far less.

The draw back of desi cotton was that it had poor potential for exports. The experts point out that this was due to the lack of effort by theCotton Corporation of India as it could be exported to several countries. But the government had tried to promote American cotton cultivation ignoring desi cotton so as to free cotton mills in the country. Then the price that is commands in domestic market was far less in comparison to American cotton. The yield too was lower than American cotton.

Experts say that staple length of desi cotton was poor. The staple length of American cotton was higher particularly in southern parts of the country in view of high breeding belt. The textile mills liked American cotton in view of staple length and better "weaving grade".

Despite this desi cotton variety occupied a place of pride in Punjab and Haryana long back. Way back in 1951, area under desi cotton in Punjab alone was about 1.46 lakh hectares. This resulted in production of about 1.44 lakh bales of cotton as compared to 1.10 lakh bales of American cotton. And the area under American cotton was about 79,000 hectares. Till 1966, desi cotton reigned supremewhen area under cultivation of this variety went upto 2.35 lakh hectares and production upto 3.69 lakh bales.

The American cotton, however, replaced desi cotton thereafter and the area under later declined year after year. By year 1989, the area under this variety shrunk further and it occupied about 50,000 hectares only. As a result the production also came down drastically. The American Cotton by then had made inroads into the country and was sown on about 7.02 lakh hectares in Punjab alone by then. Thus loss of desi cotton was the gain of American cotton.

However, the crop failure last year due to water logging and spread of various diseases led to a rethinking among the farmers, the cotton research centre at Nagpur and different agriculture universities. A team of agricultural Universities of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan that undertook a survey of the three states found that rain in the very initial stages of sowing had affected the emergence of seedlings. Then rain in July to September was more thannormal which created conditions for development of bollworms and disrupted normal spraying of pesticides. And when pesticides were sprayed rains washed them away. The rains continued even in October which led to problem of insects and pests.

Today, the south-western region, that accounts for 15 per cent of total cotton production in the country, faces a serious threat from waterlogging and salt accumulation. The water table is declining in the central districts while there is overuse of pesticides. It has led to resurgence of new pest species, weed biotypes and pathogen strains. The pests and leave curl virus which had come from Pakistan and the American Bollwarm disease had assumed dangerous proportions. The desi cotton which is resistant to pests and less susceptible to diseases has once again come in the forefront now.