Cotton, a major source of natural fibre, contributes over 62% to the requirements of the country's textile industry. Though cotton in India has registered impressive growth in productivity and production since the advent of hybrid technology and transgenes against bollworm complex, the realizable productivity level is still quite low as compared to that of other major cotton growing countries in the world. Its future would depend on how effectively and speedily we address the already existing and emerging problems, especially the changing climate. Mitigation of the causalfactors and adaptation of the crop to suit changing climate are the two broad strategies to restrain and cope with the changing climate. Whereas mitigation strategy aims at reducingthe emission of C0_2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, adaptation strategy aims at enabling the cotton plant to perform well under the changing climatic conditions by cultural and genetic strategies. Choice of variety, varying planting date, optimization of water use, manipulation of crop maturity, optimization of crop nutrition and employing responsive pest and disease management strategies will help in adapting cotton to suit the changing climate. For many farmers, Bt cotton is provingto be a valuable tool for integrated pest management programmes by giving an alternate choice for pest control. Attempts to engineer crops to perform better under the conditions of increasing environmental stress associated with increased C0_2 exposure,temperature, and changing precipitation patterns and drought should be considered on top priority. While placing emphasis on development of future cotton armed with means to cope with the changing climate, it is important to explore the possibilities ofraising the ceiling to genetic yield level progressively, no matter what strategy is contemplated. Biotechnology should be used to improve variety selection and screening strategies in conventional breeding programmes to identify and source new variations ingermplasm and wild races and to understand the genes and proteins controlling plant responses. No doubt, climate change will be an accepted reality while science and technology with advances in breeding and biotechnology willfacilitate the targeted production during the changed climatic scenario with consumption of less fuel, less water, fewer and lesser pesticides, less herbicides, less nutrients and utilization of scarce labour force. Cotton varieties/hybrids of tomorrow should combine all the favourable GM traits to suit the changing climate and market preferences without compromising on yield and minimal inputs are discussed.
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