**12. Research and development priorities**

Under the guidance of PCCC, three cotton research institutions and seven research stations collaborate to improve cotton output. Several experimental research and development initiatives aid in identifying bottleneck problems for the production of sustainable cotton. Multidisciplinary research at the Central Cotton Research Institutes (CCRI) at Sakrand, Sindh, and Multan, Punjab, has greatly aided in the development of improved cultivars. Moreover, CCRI Multan controls germplasm resource distribution, identification, evaluation, maintenance, and preservation. Moreover, the primary government institutions that carry out research on numerous cotton-related themes are Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), and Mohammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan (MNS-UAM). Through the planning of several workshops, training sessions, and seminars, these organizations support the growing of cotton. Cotton breeding initiatives have been started by numerous recognized national and worldwide private commercial business companies in addition to state organizations. Their contribution to cotton research and development has been impaired, meanwhile, by a shortage of skilled breeding personnel, ineffective resources, and outdated breeding facilities.
