A new agricultural breakthrough enables Vidarbha farmers to cultivate naturally brown and green cotton, supporting sustainable textile production.
After years of continuous research, the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), located in Nagpur, has successfully developed brown and green varieties of cotton. This achievement is being seen as significant not only for the agricultural sector, but also for the textile industry and environmental conservation. CICR Director Dr. Vijay Waghmare stated that this breakthrough is the result of many years of sustained effort, and that there are plans to develop cotton in other colors in the future as well.
Scientists have identified two distinct shades of brown cotton—one light brown and the other dark brown. Green cotton has also been developed, but its colour has not yet stabilized. After the cotton boll opens, the effect of sunlight on the colour becomes clearly visible. The green cotton tends to fade in sunlight, whereas the brown cotton becomes darker with increased exposure to sunlight.
Brown cotton has been developed using wild cotton species. Its variety named ‘Vaidehi Van’ took nearly 25 years to develop. A key feature of this cotton is that its colour does not fade even after washing. In contrast, green cotton appears darker when the boll opens, but gradually becomes lighter over time. Scientists are currently working on stabilizing the green colour.
All coloured cotton varieties developed so far are non-hybrid. This means farmers will not need to purchase new seeds every year. Once they obtain the seed, they can use it for several years and also share it with other farmers, leading to reduced cultivation costs.
The institute has preserved germplasm of various cotton species. Based on these genetic resources, experiments to develop cotton in other colours are also considered possible in the future. If the required traits are available in the germplasm or can be developed through mutation techniques, many new coloured varieties may emerge.
Currently, cotton in India goes through a long process—from fibre to yarn, then fabric, and finally dyeing—which increases both time and cost. If coloured cotton is given priority, this process could become simpler. This would reduce production costs and allow consumers to get relatively cheaper textiles.
After fabric is produced from white cotton, it has to be dyed using chemical colors. This process consumes large amounts of water and chemicals, leading to pollution of soil and water sources. Dyeing is also an expensive process. Cotton with natural color’s can reduce the need for dyeing, thereby lowering industrial costs and providing environmental benefits.
Although the research is still in its early stages, the possibilities are wide-ranging. “At present, we are focusing on making green cotton stronger and longer. We already have 5–6 varieties of brown cotton,” said Dr. Vijay Waghmare, Director, CICR.