Cotton
Gossypium hirsutum / G. barbadense
About Cotton
Cotton is the world's most important natural fiber crop, providing raw material for the global textile industry worth over $40 billion annually. It is grown by 100 million farming families across 75 countries. Major producers include India, China, the United States, Brazil, and Pakistan. In West Africa (Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Chad), cotton is the primary cash crop and foreign exchange earner. Bt cotton (genetically modified for insect resistance) has been widely adopted in India, China, and the Americas. Cottonseed is also valuable — it produces edible oil, protein meal for animal feed, and linters used in industrial products.
Growing Conditions
Full sun — requires high light intensity throughout the growing season
500-1,200 mm per crop. Critical water periods: squaring through boll development. Drought during boll fill reduces yield dramatically.
Deep, well-drained loam to clay loam. pH 5.8-7.5. Moderate fertility — excess nitrogen causes rank vegetative growth.
Optimal 25-35°C. Requires 160+ frost-free days. Growth stops below 15°C.
Low to moderate preferred for lint quality. High humidity promotes boll rot and foliar diseases.
Warm season — 150-180 days. Plant when soil temperature reaches 18°C.
Step-by-Step Growing Tips
Plant when soil temperature consistently exceeds 18°C
Space at 75-90 cm between rows, 20-30 cm within rows
Apply growth regulators (mepiquat chloride) to manage rank growth in high-fertility soils
Scout for bollworm and whitefly weekly from squaring through boll opening
Apply defoliant 10-14 days before harvest for clean machine picking
Destroy stalks promptly after harvest to reduce carry-over of pests and diseases
Disease Risks to Watch
All diseases →O enrolamento foliar do algodoeiro causa perdas devastadoras na produção. Aprenda a identificar os sintomas e implementar estratégias de manejo integrado.
A mancha angular do algodoeiro causa perdas significativas na produção. Conheça as estratégias de controle baseadas em variedades resistentes e sementes sadias.
Companion Planting
✅ Good Companions
Growing Zones
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to plant Cotton?
Warm season — 150-180 days. Plant when soil temperature reaches 18°C.
What soil does Cotton need?
Deep, well-drained loam to clay loam. pH 5.8-7.5. Moderate fertility — excess nitrogen causes rank vegetative growth.
How much water does Cotton need?
500-1,200 mm per crop. Critical water periods: squaring through boll development. Drought during boll fill reduces yield dramatically.
What are the most common diseases affecting Cotton?
The most common diseases are: cotton leaf curl, cotton bacterial blight. Monitor regularly and practice crop rotation.
What plants grow well with Cotton?
Good companions include: sorghum, groundnut. Avoid planting near no specific plants.
Related Crops — Malvaceae
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