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 →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 (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.
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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