Cotton is a warm weather crop native to tropical and subtropical regions, grown for its soft fibers used in fabrics. Successful cultivation requires careful management, and the crop can be harvested by hand or machine. The fiber and seeds have various uses, including clothing manufacturing and livestock feed.
A cotton crop is the result of growing plants of the Gossypium genus for economic and food purposes. The plant is a shrub defined by its soft, fibrous capsule that surrounds its seeds. This warm weather crop is native to tropical and subtropical regions and generally cannot tolerate extreme conditions. Cultivation begins with planting in fertile soil and includes considerable management for a successful yield. The crop can be harvested by hand or machine and has several uses.
Cotton is a shrubby plant of the genus Gossypium. Its seeds are surrounded by a fluffy ball of soft fiber which aids in their dispersal. Soft fibers work well as fabrics once made into yarn or thread. Cotton is most often grown in large commercial crops.
Typically, a cotton crop does its best at temperatures between 52° and 77° Fahrenheit (about 11° to 25° Celsius), more typically in tropical and subtropical climates. Freezing and extremely high temperatures can affect the yield and quality of a cotton crop, if not completely destroy it. Excess moisture and dry conditions that last longer than five to seven months can produce the same effects.
Starting a cotton crop includes planting seeds in moist soil with plenty of fertilizer or compost, as the plant uses up large amounts of nutrients. The soil should also have a muddy or slightly sandy texture so that the long roots can dig deep. Seedlings take one to four weeks to appear. Cotton growing may require irrigation unless it is located in an area that naturally receives between 7,000 and 9,000 m3 of moisture per hectare.
Crop management involves concerted effort and manpower that begins with soil preparation through the plant’s life cycle and ends after harvest. Growers need to consider possible pests, diseases, and problems based on the local climate and environment, and pay close attention to plant development, estimating fruit yield and shelf life using a variety of methods. Factors such as weed and insect control, plant population, and irrigation also need to be carefully considered and executed for high quality and yield.
Cotton can be harvested by hand or mechanically. The machines either remove the cotton from the boll by themselves or tear the entire boll from the plant. Wire stripping machines are common in windy climates where “harvesting” plant varieties are not doing well.
The fiber and seeds of the harvested plant are used in various sectors. Most of the fiber is used for clothing manufacturing, followed by home furnishings and industrial applications. Cottonseed is used to feed livestock and poultry, and the plant’s oil is also used in food production.
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