The Egyptian Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Alaa Farouk, praised the efforts of researchers and scientists at the Agricultural Research Center, particularly the Cotton Research Institute. He explained that this achievement is the result of leveraging scientific research and experiments and applying them practically.
He stated that field trials have proven the possibility of cultivating high-quality cotton in a desert environment using modern irrigation techniques and suitable fertilization, according to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture on social media.
Farouk emphasized that scientific research is the driving force of agricultural development, pointing out the full support provided to scientists, experts, and applied research projects, with the aim of turning laboratory results into practical solutions that serve farmers and the national economy.
The statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture quoted the head of the Agricultural Research Center, Dr. Adel Abdel Azim, saying that the experiments included planting six known genetic compositions and three new ones, and the first cycle was harvested after 127 days thanks to the selection of the early-maturing trait, allowing farmers to plant a winter crop after harvesting cotton.
He added that the successful experiments in the city of El Tor are a model for developing varieties that withstand drought, salinity, and high temperatures, with plans to generalize the experiment in other governorates and train farmers on the latest irrigation and farming techniques to achieve the highest productivity and quality.
