Cotton Production

Khawar Jabran, Bhagirath Singh Chauhan, Khawar Jabran, Bhagirath Singh Chauhan

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781119385516
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technik & Maschinenbau
• Subtopic: Nachhaltige Landwirtschaft

Provides a comprehensive overview of the role of cotton in the economy and cotton production around the world

This book offers a complete look at the world's largest fiber crop: cotton. It examines its effect on the global economy—its uses and products, harvesting and processing, as well as the major challenges and their solutions, recent trends, and modern technologies involved in worldwide production of cotton.

Cotton Production presents recent developments achieved by major cotton producing regions around the world, including China, India, USA, Pakistan, Turkey and Europe, South America, Central Asia, and Australia. In addition to origin and history, it discusses the recent advances in management practices, as well as the agronomic challenges and the solutions in the major cotton producing areas of the world. Keeping a focus on global context, the book provides sufficient details regarding the management of cotton crops. These details are not limited to the choice of cultivar, soil management, fertilizer and water management, pest control, cotton harvesting, and processing.

• The first book to cover all aspects of cotton production in a global context
• Details the role of cotton in the economy, the uses and products of cotton, and its harvesting and processing
• Discusses the current state of cotton management practices and issues within and around the world's cotton producing areas
• Provides insight into the ways to improve cotton productivity in order to keep pace with the growing needs of an increasing population

Cotton Production is an essential book for students taking courses in agronomy and cropping systems as well as a reference for agricultural advisors, extension specialists, and professionals throughout the industry.

Chapter 1
An Introduction to Global Production Trends and Uses, History and Evolution, and Genetic and Biotechnological Improvements in Cotton

Khawar Jabran¹, Sami Ul‐Allah², Bhagirath Singh Chauhan³, and Allah Bakhsh⁴

¹ Department of Plant Production and Technologies, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Niğde, Turkey

² College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Bahadur Sub‐Campus Layyah, Layyah, Pakistan

³ The Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia

⁴ Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Niğde, Turkey

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Cotton is the most important fiber crop in the world and belongs to the family Malvaceae and the genus Gossypium, and this genus has nearly 50 species. Four cultivated species of cotton are Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium barbedense L. (Egyptian cotton), Gossypium herbaceum L. (Asiatic cotton), and Gossypium arboreum L. (Asiatic cotton), out of these, upland cotton (G. hirsutum) is the most cultivated (on >90% area of total worldwide cotton cultivation) species all across the world, which is mainly due to its high yields. The oldest remains of the cotton fiber belonging to the sixth millennium BCE have been found in the Neolithic burial that is in Kachi Plains of the Mehrgarh region (near Indus River) of Pakistan (Moulherat et al. 2002).

Globally, cotton is grown in 75 countries of the world (USDA 2018b), and significantly improves the economies of many countries through the provision of fiber, oil, and several other products. The most important products of cotton may include garments, gloves, mufflers, bags, socks, jackets, beds, vegetable oil, curtains, bed sheets, and others.

Cultivated cotton is grown as an annual plant; however, the species originally possessed a perennial growth habit. Morphology and physiology of cotton have been explained in detail...