Gossypium hirsutum / G. barbadense
Sunlight
Full sun — requires high light intensity throughout the growing season
Water
500-1,200 mm per crop. Critical water periods: squaring through boll development. Drought during boll fill reduces yield dramatically.
Soil
Deep, well-drained loam to clay loam. pH 5.8-7.5. Moderate fertility — excess nitrogen causes rank vegetative growth.
Temperature
Optimal 25-35°C. Requires 160+ frost-free days. Growth stops below 15°C.
Humidity
Low to moderate preferred for lint quality. High humidity promotes boll rot and foliar diseases.
Season
Warm season — 150-180 days. Plant when soil temperature reaches 18°C.
Updated February 2026
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Overview
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.
Plant Health
Cotton is susceptible to 2 known diseases. Early detection is critical — use the CuraPlant app to scan leaves and get an instant AI diagnosis.
Cotton Leaf Curl Disease
Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuV complex) causes upward leaf curling, vein thickening, and enations (leaf-like outgrowths) on cotton. Transmitted by whitefly Bemisia tabaci. Yield losses reach 30-80%. Manage with resistant varieties, whitefly control (neonicotinoid seed treatment + foliar sprays), early planting, and avoiding ratoon cotton that bridges virus between seasons.
Cotton Bacterial Blight (Angular Leaf Spot)
Cotton bacterial blight (Xanthomonas citri pv. malvacearum) causes angular water-soaked leaf spots, black arm on stems, and boll rot. Yield losses reach 10-35%. The bacterium is seed-borne. Manage with acid-delinted seed, resistant varieties, crop rotation, and copper sprays. Avoid working in wet fields. Remove and burn severely infected plants.
Cultivation Guide
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
Companion Planting
Strategic companion planting reduces pest pressure, improves pollination, and can significantly increase yields.
Climate & Regions
Active climate zones for Cotton are highlighted below.
Tropical
Suitable
Subtropical
Suitable
Temperate
Suitable
Mediterranean
Not typical
Highland
Not typical
Arid / Semi-arid
Suitable
Specific Zones & Regions
Common Questions
Cotton grows best during the warm season — 150-180 days. plant when soil temperature reaches 18°c.. It requires optimal 25-35°c. requires 160+ frost-free days. growth stops below 15°c. and full sun — requires high light intensity throughout the growing season. In tropical regions with consistent warmth, it can often be grown year-round with proper irrigation.
Cotton is commonly affected by Cotton Leaf Curl, Cotton Bacterial Blight. Regular crop monitoring, good air circulation, avoiding overhead irrigation, and using disease-resistant varieties are the most effective prevention strategies.
Cotton grows best in deep, well-drained loam to clay loam. ph 5.8-7.5. moderate fertility — excess nitrogen causes rank vegetative growth.. For irrigation: 500-1,200 mm per crop. critical water periods: squaring through boll development. drought during boll fill reduces yield dramatically.. Maintaining proper soil moisture without waterlogging is critical — Cotton is sensitive to both drought stress and root rot from excess water.
Cotton grows well alongside sorghum, groundnut. These companions help repel pests, improve pollination, or provide ground cover.
CuraPlant
Scan any leaf with your phone and get an instant AI diagnosis, treatment guide, and prevention plan — even offline.
