At the Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute, where variety development studies continue across a wide range of crops including sunflower, wheat, soybean, pea and maize, a new cotton variety has recently been introduced. Developed in cooperation with the private sector, ‘Galaxy 351’ has been officially registered by the Seed Registration and Certification Center under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and made available to farmers.
Thanks to its ability to be harvested before early autumn rains, the new variety helps prevent quality losses caused by colour changes and contamination, which are critical issues for cotton quality.
The Institute’s 45th and Türkiye’s 114th cotton variety
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Institute Director İbrahim Cerit stated that Galaxy 351 is the Institute’s 45th cotton variety and the 114th registered cotton variety developed in Türkiye. Cerit noted that 18% of Türkiye’s total certified cotton seed production comes from their institute, contributing approximately TRY 700 million annually to the national economy.
‘Galaxy 351’ suitable for cultivation across all regions in Türkiye thanks to high adaptability
Emphasising that the newly developed variety is capable of meeting the requirements of the textile industry, İbrahim Cerit said:
“Quality parameters are particularly important in cotton for the textile industry. Fibre length, strength and fineness are among the key criteria. Our variety performs very well across all these quality characteristics compared to other varieties. Although Galaxy is ecologically registered for the Southeastern Anatolia Region, its high adaptability makes it suitable for cultivation in other cotton-producing regions of the country as well.”
He also underlined that varieties developed through cooperation with the private sector, in line with farmers’ current needs, generate patent revenues for both the institute and the breeders, supporting further research and development efforts.
Agricultural engineer Hacer Kaya Kocatürk added that with Galaxy 351, the number of varieties for which she holds a patent has increased to three, and that she has also contributed to the development of 36 other varieties. Kocatürk highlighted that the earlier harvest potential compared to existing varieties represents a significant advantage for Galaxy 351.