Gossypium

Gossypium is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) that includes species from which cultivated cotton fiber is produced. About 50 species are recognized, most of them wild, but four species are grown on a large scale for textile fiber: Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium barbadense, together providing most modern lint, and the Asian species Gossypium arboreum and Gossypium herbaceum.

The cultivated cottons are allotetraploids (AADD) derived from hybridization between A-genome species (such as G. arboreum and G. herbaceum) and D-genome relatives (such as G. raimondii). This polyploid origin occurred in the Americas, with Upland and Pima types evolving under human selection for fiber length, strength, and fineness. The primary fiber of cotton is a seed trichome; the fiber is almost pure cellulose.

Uses and production: Cotton fiber is the textile staple worldwide, supporting a large secondary industry in spinning, weaving, and garment manufacture. Cottonseeds yield oil and meal used in food and feed. Global producers include India, China, the United States, Pakistan, and Brazil, with rainfall, long frost-free growing seasons, and irrigation influencing yields. Cultivation often involves irrigation, fertilization, and pest management against bollworms, boll weevils, and fungal diseases.

Ecology and notes: Cotton is relatively drought-tolerant but water-intensive; as such it has environmental impacts. Breeding and integrated pest management have reduced chemical inputs in some regions. The genus Gossypium is of major economic and agricultural importance, with ongoing research in biotechnology and sustainable production.