CCRI advises immediate measures to save cotton from expected heatwave threat

MULTAN, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th May, 2026) Director, Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) Multan, Sabahat Hussain, has urged cotton growers to adopt immediate protective measures to safeguard their crops from expected severe heatwave in Punjab and Sindh.

According to the Meteorological Department, temperatures are likely to rise between 46 and 50 Celsius from May 7 to 11, posing serious risks to standing cotton crops, says a release issued by CCRI Multan on Thursday.

Sabahat Hussain said that early-sown cotton crop, currently around 60 to 70 days old, is entering a critical stage of flowering and boll formation, making it highly vulnerable to heat stress. She advised farmers to apply foliar spray to improve crop growth and protect flowers and bolls from extreme temperatures.

She recommended preparing separate solutions of 300 grams potassium sulphate, 250 grams zinc sulphate and 250 grams borax, mixing them together in 100 litres of water per acre.

She further advised repeating the spray after 15 days for better results.

The CCRI director also stressed the importance of light irrigation during the heatwave and advised farmers to irrigate crops during cooler morning or evening hours to minimize water loss and reduce heat stress on plants.

She said that as the flowering and boll-setting stage had started in early cotton crops, farmers should apply one bag of urea per acre to ensure healthy growth.

CCRI Multan director further warned growers to immediately destroy any spotted bollworm larvae found in spindle-shaped cotton flowers to prevent early-stage damage. She also advised installing recommended pheromone traps in fields at the earliest and ensuring pest scouting at least twice a week for effective crop management and timely pest control.

She emphasized that timely agricultural practices and continuous monitoring during the ongoing heatwave could help farmers protect cotton crops from possible losses.