by L.N. Revathy
The Hindu Business Line

Even while there is widespread apprehension and decline in yield and fibre quality of the hitherto popular cotton variety -- DCH 32, the private seed producer, Rasi Seeds Ltd has unfolded the RCHB-21 hybrid for large-scale cultivation.

Rasi Seeds sources told Business Line that RCHB-21 was an inter-specific hybrid similar to DCH 32. Stating that the hybrid's cultivation was not confined to the State but was widespread across Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, Mr Ramasamy of Rasi Seeds said the area under RCHB-21 had risen significantly since 1997 from 3090 acres to 20,424 acres in 2001 in all the three States.

In Tamil Nadu, RCHB 21 was widely cultivated in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Thiruvannamalai and Ranipet and the acreage had crossed the 3500-mark during the current year, he said.

Comparing the performance of RCHB-21 vis-a-vis DCH 32, he said the seed cotton yield of the former was 25 per cent more at 1800 kg/hec as against 1500 kg/hec of DCH 32, the number of bolls per plant stood at 268 compared to 200 of the latter and the superior uniformity ratio of the RCHB 21 indicated its superiority in fibre quality parameters over DCH 32. The fibre strength, however was the same at 25 for both the varieties, he added.

The 180-day crop was emerging as a popular hybrid, he said and disclosed that a short duration variety RCH 34 was under trial cultivation in Punjab.