Crops Cotton (Gossypium spp.)

Summary Information



To find similar Items, click on a keyword below:
Crops for Biocomposites/Boards : Crops for Fine Chemicals : Crops for Textiles/Fabrics/Cordage




Mid-term crop

Cotton species are naturally perennial but are cultivated as annuals. The plant is a sub-shrub, forming a taproot with many lateral branches. The stem grows vertically to a height of up to 1.5 m, giving rise at the nodes to the stalked lobed leaves, which are arranged spirally up to the crown. The main branches develop at the nodes, these primary branches giving rise to secondary and tertiary branches, most of the branches being potentially fruit-bearing.

Flower

The stalked flowers last only two days: creamy-white upon opening, they darken to pink before falling.

Young bolls

The pods grow until they burst open, the fibres then being plainly visible as the cotton bolls.

Seeds

Seedling

To be productive, the cotton plant requires a deep rich soil and high temperatures, and it is vital that water is not limiting: in practice, many areas are grown under irrigation. Established plant density usually varies between 6 and 10 plants per square metre, in rows up to 1 m apart. The crop must be well-manured to maintain good soil status of all important elements: the greatest need for nitrogen is during boll formation, but the fertiliser should be applied before this stage so that it is available to the plant when required. Weeds may be controlled by the use of herbicides: cotton is subject to attack by many pests and diseases, for which a wide range of pesticide products is available, but during recent years more emphasis is being placed on methods of biological control. Upon harvesting, the produce is taken to the ginning plant to separate the fibres (lint) from the seed; currently yields in Greece are of the order of 800 kg of lint and 2.7 t of seed per ha. Under current conditions, the crop in Greece may be expected to maintain or expand its area; it is a valuable contributor to the Greek economy, with firm demand for the major products. Recently, several possible uses for the seed hulls have been suggested, such as fuel, insulation and filtration materials, and the industrial production of cellulose or other chemicals; development of any such markets could serve to increase the profitability of the crop.