Boll

A boll is the seed capsule, or fruit, of certain flowering plants, most notably the cotton plant (Gossypium). In cotton, the boll forms after flowering and contains the seeds with attached cotton fibers. When mature, the outer rind splits open to reveal the fluffy lint that is later separated from the seeds during ginning.

Development and structure: Cotton bolls begin as a small green ovary that enlarges into a spherical to oblong capsule. Inside, seeds are embedded with cotton fibers that extend outward as the fiber develops. The boll’s walls, or pericarp, split along seams when ripe, allowing the fibers to be released.

Harvest and processing: Bolls are collected when the fiber is fully developed and the boll is dry. Mechanical harvesters often strip bolls from plants and send them to a gin, where seeds are separated from the fiber. The timing of harvest, along with climate and field management, affects fiber yield and quality.

Pests and diseases: Cotton bolls are affected by pests such as the boll weevil and bollworm, which can damage developing fibers and reduce yields. Fungal and bacterial diseases can cause boll rot or boll blight, further impacting quality.

Other uses: The term boll is also used in botany to describe the fruit of other plants that produce seed capsules or fiber-bearing structures in a similar form, though the cotton boll is the most economically significant example.