A number of institutions in Pakistan are engaged in conduction research and development in the Agricultural sector.

These include private sector such as seed, fertilizer and pesticide companies such as Ali Akbar Group and Engro Chemicals as well as public sector ones such as universities and specialized research institutions. The latter includes notable ones such as the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI), Ayub Agricultural Institute, and Universities of Agriculture as well agriculture related departments such as that in Punjab University. The Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB) in Faisalabad has been actively engaged in conducting research on pertinent issues dealing with various applications in agriculture. The scientists at NIAB have used nuclear related techniques such as ionization with different forms of radiation such as gamma and Cobalt-60 as well as radioisotopes to develop genetic material to be incorporated in seeds. As a result, these seeds have been infused with superior traits such as high yield and resilience to adverse environmental conditions such as salinity as well to pests and diseases. A major contribution by NIAB has been for the cotton crop, such as by creating two seed varieties NIAB846 and NIAB-777 through pollen irradiation methods and approved for cultivation in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Both these seed varieties incorporate traits such as high yield and heat tolerance, with NIAB-777 also being suitable for high density planting. They are better resistant to the newer Burewala strain of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV). The CLCV is transmitted by a virus transmitted by the whitefly and was first identified by the Central Cotton Research Institute in Multan. The latest strain of CLCV, being termed after the region of Burewala where it was detected, has wreaked havoc upon the cotton crop season after season since 2001. PARC, the government ordained body has been conducting agricultural research in various parts of the country for almost three decades now. One of innovative roles that it has played has been in devising various methods of irrigation that are geared towards water conservation. One of its research institutes, the National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) carried out irrigation related experiments the 80s in many ecologically diverse areas across the country. Although low-tech in nature, the raingun water sprinklers utilizing various PVC pipe structures, valves, water pumps driven by diesel, electric and tractor power-take-off attachment have been adopted in many Barani (arid) regions such as Bahawalpur, Muzzafargarh for the stabilization of sand dunes, whereby making it possible to grow both fruit and field crops. Similar sprinkler methods have also been demonstrated by the Pakistan Council of Research in water resources (PCRWR) to make possible the growing or rice with far less amount of water than is conventionally used. Their studies and trials have revealed that rice, which is grown approximately on an area of 6 million acres over the country, if irrigated with a sprinkler based irrigation system would consume 65% less water. This translates an overall saving of 15 million acre-feet worth of water, whereby also hedging against the acute problems of water-logging and salinity. The National Sugar Crops Research Institute located Thatta developed a sugarcane variety that is able to yield 30% more cane yield and has a 20% boost in sugar content. Named Thatta-10, the variety would prove to more beneficial if planted in the autumn sugarcane growing season, i.e. during September, as it

would provide 10-25% greater yield. Further research in its cultivation determined its ideal plantation in furrows being 1.25 meters apart and the budded sets to be placed in them using the overlapping method, topped off with 2-3 inches of soil. The scientists at NARC have also developed several hybrid varieties of major food and cash crops such as maize, sorghum and millet. The maize varieties of Gauher and Kashmir Gold have been created to targeted Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir regions and with a 95 day maturity period, give yields of 5-6 tons per hectare. The Sorghum variety Johar and the Millet one of Bajra Super-1 are suitable for all rain-fed areas of Pakistan and AJK and after a 3-4 months maturity period yield in the range of 6-8 tons per hectare. With our local agricultural scientists and researchers being quite a capable lot, its a no-brainer that if MINFAL (Ministry of Food, Livestock and Agriculture) should make it a priority to use locally developed seeds and related agricultural products and techniques. A substantial amount of taxpayer money and external debt would be averted from being used to import costly agricultural inputs and striking pricey deals with foreign seed corporations, not to mention the kickbacks.