Important Species of Cotton

Earliest evidences of cotton are from Mehrgarh where cotton cultivated 7,000 years ago. During the Indus Valley Civilization, cotton was cultivated abundantly and cotton industry was well developed. Some methods used in the Indus Valley for the spinning and fabrication of the cotton continued to be used in India until modern industrialization came.

Cotton Species

Out of about 50 species of cotton plants in the world, only above four have been domestically cultivated for cotton fibres. India is the only country in the world which grows all the 4 species of the cotton cultivated. These species are

• Gossypium arboreum (Asian Cotton)
• Gossypium herbaceum (Asian cotton)
• Gossypium barbadense (Egyptian cotton)
• Gossypium hirsutum (American Upland cotton)

Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium barbadense are the most commonly cultivated species of cotton in the world. Gossypium hirsutum variety is the most important agricultural cotton, accounting for more than 90% of world fibre production.

Among the above four, two are diploid (Gossypium arboreum and G herbaceum) and the other two tetraploid (G hirsutum and G barbadense).  The diploid species referred to as the ‘Desi’ cotton, having low productivity and low quality cotton, contributes 25 – 30% of the country production. The tetraploids variety contributes remaining 70% of the cotton production in India. These varieties have fine quality fibre, and are normally used by the textile industry.

Apart from that, hybrid cotton is produced from crossing tetraploid species G hirsutum are also cultivated in the central and southern zones.