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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Fiber Bioscience Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #313885
Title: Cotton as a World Crop: Origin, History, and Current Status

Author
item LEE, JOSHUA - Retired ARS Employee
item Fang, David

Submitted to: Cotton
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2015
Publication Date: 4/23/2015
Citation: Lee, J.A., Fang, D.D. 2015. Cotton as a World Crop: Origin, History, and Current Status. Cotton. 1-23, DOI:10.2134/agronmonogr57.2013.0019.

Interpretive Summary: Archaeological evidence indicates that cotton has been used by humans for more than 4000 yr. The history of cotton cultivation is at least 3000 yr old. There are four cultivated cotton species, two diploid species and two tetraploid species. In this chapter, the origin and history of these four species as a crop were discussed based on theoretical consideration and archaeological evidence. Domestication of wild tetraploid cotton as an annual day-neutral crop was a big step toward cotton agriculture. Spread of cotton to the United States and its wide cultivation in this country facilitated cotton becoming a world crop. Technology advancements in cultivation, ginning, and spinning solidified the important role of cotton in the world economy. New technologies such as transgenic varieties are revolutionizing the cotton industry. This chapter provides a historical view of how cotton has become as a world crop.

Technical Abstract: Archaeological evidence indicates that cotton has been used by humans for more than 4000 yr. The history of cotton cultivation is at least 3000 yr old. There are four cultivated cotton species, two diploid species and two tetraploid species. In this chapter, the origin and history of these four species as a crop were discussed based on theoretical consideration and archaeological evidence. Domestication of wild tetraploid cotton as an annual day-neutral crop was a big step toward cotton agriculture. Spread of cotton to the United States and its wide cultivation in this country facilitated cotton becoming a world crop. Technology advancements in cultivation, ginning, and spinning solidified the important role of cotton in the world economy. New technologies such as transgenic varieties are revolutionizing the cotton industry. This chapter provides a historical view of how cotton has become as a world crop.