Cotton (cotton): description, planting, cultivation and care, application

Cotton is one of the most widespread industrial crops, the growing area of which covers subtropical and tropical regions. Growing cotton (cotton) is not an easy task, requiring compliance with many agrotechnical rules, since the culture is capricious. Cotton fabrics are the most demanded in the world. But the use of cotton is not limited to the textile industry.

Description of the plant

Cotton is about 50 herbaceous species belonging to the Malvaceae family. All these relatives of mallow differ quite significantly from each other: they are both small bushes and tall shrubs exceeding 5 m in length, both annuals and perennials.But the types of cotton used in textile production are only annuals and biennials.

The plant has a powerful tap root system. The main root is able to go 2-3 m deep into the ground. Lateral roots are usually located near the surface - at a depth of no more than 50 cm. They are strong and developed, especially if they receive enough moisture and nutrition.

The stem is heavily branched. Branching begins after 6-7 leaves form on the main shoot going vertically. Cotton leaves are alternate. The leaf plates have a lobed appearance and noticeable petioles. Each leaf has 3-5 lobes.

Cotton is propagated by seed. 3 months after spitting sprouts, crops bloom. The flowering of cotton is plentiful, the bush is strewn with large, rose-like flowers with smooth or double petals. Each flower has 3-5 peculiarly twisted petals of yellow, red or white.There are no multicolored flowers.

The cotton blossom is amazingly beautiful. So much so that many fanciers even plant cotton as an ornamental plant in their home gardens.

After flowering is completed, a capsule-fruit, round or oval, is formed from the ovary. Seeds ripen inside the box. It gradually grows, filled with fiber. After about 1.5 months from the beginning of formation, the box cracks into 2-4 parts, a thin, fluffy fiber resembling light lumps of cotton wool comes out of it. The fiber, which is cotton, performs a protective function, ripened seeds are hidden in it. It is heterogeneous, consists of long and short villi. The first ones are rougher, the second ones are soft and gentle.

Cultivation history

People learned how to make fabrics from cotton in ancient times, which is confirmed by the results of archaeological research.The Indians were the first to grow cotton for fiber. On the territory of India, archaeologists have repeatedly discovered agricultural tools and devices designed to care for cotton plantings and process fibrous raw materials. The cultivation of cotton in India is believed to have begun 7,000 years ago.

In the 5th century BC Herodotus in his notes spoke about an amazing Indian shrub on which wool is formed. From this amazing wool, which is superior in quality to that obtained from sheep, the Indians weave a soft and thin cloth from which they sew clothes. And today India is one of the leading countries in the cultivation of cotton.

Following the Indians, the ancient Greeks began to grow a wonderful "woolen" shrub, then the culture migrated to the Middle East region, China, Mexico, to the west coast of South America. The first Europeans to set up cotton plantations were the British. It was they who invented the mechanized method of processing cotton in the 1770s.Before that, heavy manual labor was used.

Benefits of growing cotton

Due to the improvement of the technology of growing and processing cotton, its production has become cheaper, which has a positive impact on the cost of the final raw material. Today, cotton fabrics are one of the most affordable, while differing in quality and durability.

Cotton grows in a consistently warm and dry climate. Previously, plantations were broken up exclusively in developing Asian, South American and African countries. Today, many developed countries are engaged in the cultivation of cotton, having territories suitable for climatic conditions.

For example, the US and China have been the world leaders in cotton exports for many years. There, agricultural machinery is used for growing cotton and harvesting crops, so the cost of production is low and profitable.But in the underdeveloped countries of Africa and Asia, cotton continues to be picked by hand.

Popular varieties

Cotton is a self-pollinating plant that has many species and even more varieties. For a long time, scientists could not form a generic classification of a plant due to the fact that its species tend to change their external features under the influence of natural and climatic factors. Plus, cotton species are pollinated, so there are many hybrid varieties among varieties.

The value of cotton varieties is determined by the structure of the fibers. The thinner and longer they are, the better and more expensive the canvas obtained from them.

It is impossible to list all varieties of cotton, there are a huge number of them. Many varieties do not have names, but are combined under numbers into a specific brand. On the territory of the former USSR, the most common varieties are Eloten-7, Tashkent-6, Serdar, Omad, Namangan-77, Dashoguz-114, Dashoguz-120, Regar-34, Ash-36, Charos-1, Kzyl-Ravat, Bukhoro-6 , Bukhoro-120, Sulton.And the best is the Andijon-35 cotton variety, from which a snow-white fabric of increased strength is made, used for the production of high-quality linen.

In the US, the most common cotton varieties are Deltapine, FiberMax, Stoneville. The first brand accounts for almost 40% of the acreage, the second - 35%, the third - 12%. In India, the most common cotton varieties are Jayadhar, Digvijay, Wagad, G-Cot-13.

As for the types of cotton, today they are used for industrial cultivation:

Ordinary - the most common cotton, annual. Medium quality fiber is obtained from it.
Herbaceous is an annual species common in central and southeast Asian regions. Forms the lowest bushes of all varieties, is most resistant to negative factors, including more severe climatic conditions when grown in areas close to the temperate zone.The resulting cotton has short and coarse fibers, most similar to animal wool.
Indochinese is a tall perennial that resembles not so much a shrub as a tree, reaching a height of 6-7 m. It has a wide habitat in tropical regions. It blooms with red flowers, but the cotton fiber is yellowish.
Peruvian is an annual plant that, through the efforts of breeders, gives the highest quality fiber, tender, with long villi. Today, its cultivation area is limited to Egypt and southeastern North America.

Growing Nuances

Cotton is capricious in terms of growing technology. Many things must be foreseen, and, above all, the sowing time. Seeds are sown strictly in February. Delay is unacceptable, otherwise, due to late flowering, the boxes will not have time to fully form by the end of autumn, when the harvest time comes.

Cotton is a light-loving and thermophilic crop.Seeds begin to sprout when the temperature reaches +10-12°C. The optimum temperature for plant development during the season is +25-30°C. Even minimal autumn or spring frosts can destroy the plant. But cotton tolerates the lack of soil moisture normally, it is even able to withstand prolonged droughts due to the fact that its powerful root system finds water in the deep layers of the earth. However, the outer parts of the plant need regular irrigation, otherwise the boxes will dry out, fall to the ground unripe.

Cotton vegetation is approximately 150 days. And the maturation of seed pods lasts 50 days.

Cotton is adapted to grow in soil conditions that are detrimental to other plant species. So, it can fully grow on saline and alkaline marsh soils. However, cotton is very demanding on the content of nutrients in the soil.Therefore, in order to obtain high-quality cotton raw materials, plantations are carefully fertilized. So, to produce 30 quintals of fiber per 1 ha, plants extract 45 kg of nitrogen, 15 kg of phosphorus and 18 kg of potassium from the soil.

Distribution of cotton in Russia

Of the countries of the former Soviet Union, the main producers of cotton are the Central Asian republics, mainly Uzbekistan. But in Russia, the cultivation of this crop is also practiced. Since the plant is thermophilic, it can be grown only in the southern regions of the country, namely, in the Astrakhan region. In this region, for several years, breeders have been actively working to create varieties that are more resistant to adverse climatic conditions.

Crop rotation

The best predecessor crop is alfalfa. It saturates the soil with humus and mineral elements, which are so necessary for the full development of cotton, and also reduces the saturation of the soil with s alts. The soil in which alfalfa grew is more breathable.In the first year after alfalfa, cotton yields are 50% higher than the average. Higher yields are maintained in the next 2 seasons after alfalfa.

Cotton crop rotation implies a multi-field cultivation principle, when part of the land intended for growing cotton is allocated for alfalfa in a certain season.

Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionAlso, cotton shows good results in terms of yield if leguminous and silage crops, sugar beets were sown before it.

Boarding rules

Cultivation of cotton at all times has been troublesome, requiring considerable effort. The plant is demanding on weather conditions, the structure and quality of the soil, it needs seed preparation and a number of agrotechnical procedures.

Soil preparation

Preparing the soil for cotton sowing is a whole range of activities consisting of several stages:

Cultivation of the plot after growing the previous crop. The plow-plougher loosens light soils by 5 cm, heavy soils by 10 cm. Surface tillage is carried out at the end of August or the first days of September, it is necessary to preserve moisture and destroy pests.
Plowing the land to a depth of 49 cm.
Applying during plowing the herbicide necessary to destroy weed roots remaining in the ground.
Re-loosening and washing the soil if it is saline.
Harrowing the soil next season is in mid-February before sowing the seeds.
Fertilize the soil with manure and further plowing.
Cultivation to a depth of 5-10 cm.

After all these events, farmers start sowing cotton.

If cotton grows several seasons in the same area, top dressing is required. For 1 ha, it is necessary to apply 150 kg of nitrogen fertilizer, 100 kg of phosphorus, 50 kg of potash. If cotton is sown after alfalfa or other legumes, then less nitrogen fertilization is needed for 2-3 seasons - 50-80 kg. It is recommended to apply organic matter along with mineral fertilizers.

Seed preparation

Quality and fresh cotton seeds are taken as seed material, which are harvested before the arrival of autumn cold weather. It is important to select seeds that correspond to the zoning of varieties.

The seed is carefully processed. First, the underfur is removed mechanically. Then pickle with acid fumes.

Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionTo increase germination, cotton seeds are left to stratify in the open for a month. Then they are disinfected using copper trichloride phenolate, taken in the amount of 12 kg per 1 ton of seed. The last stage of preparation is immersing the seeds in water for 10 hours.

Step by step instructions

Until the ground is warmed up to at least +10°C, it is unacceptable to sow cotton seeds. Seeding schemes are different, but in any case, the row spacing is 60 cm.

Here are some common cotton planting patterns:

dotted - 60×25;
rectangular nests - 60×45;
square nests - 60×60;
in wide rows - 90×15 (or ×20, ×30).

To increase the yield of cotton, the bed method of sowing is used. It allows you to get an additional 3 centners of cotton per hectare. 2-3 seeds are placed in the hole at a depth of 3-5 cm, depending on the type of soil.

How many seeds are required depends on the cotton sowing method. Take as many seeds as you need to avoid thinning the crops. If seeds with preserved down, you need to take 60 kg per 1 ha. If the underfur is removed, 40 kg is sufficient. 80-100 thousand plants should grow on one 1 hectare of sown area.

Cotton Care

A variety of cotton irrigation is used, including irrigation. The first time, the crops are watered abundantly when 3-5 leaves are formed, the second time after about a month, when the buds begin to tie. In the future, cotton is watered under the root and irrigated regularly during flowering and fruiting. The last watering is applied 8-10 days before the leaves fall.

During the growing season, cotton is cultivated three times: when sprouts peck to a depth of 10 cm, before the first watering and when the soil is dry.

Use organic materials as mulch. The optimal mulch for cotton is rotted manure, which perfectly retains soil moisture. But this is the most expensive material for mulching, 200 kg have to be spent per 1 ha. Straw is cheaper. But it is undesirable to use hay because of the risk of damage to cotton by pests.

Herbicides and insecticides in the cultivation of cotton, farmers try not to use, as this negatively affects the ecological qualities of cotton. But this has to be done if the plants are severely affected.

When at least 2 bolls burst on each branch of the bush, cotton leaves are completely removed. The event is necessary to prevent the spread of infections and pests.

Cotton harvest time is late September and October.

Possible diseases and pests

Breeders are trying to create varieties of cotton that are resistant to infections and pests. But even when growing such varieties, it is necessary to apply preventive measures to prevent damage to crops. Prevention means:

fulfilment of agrotechnical requirements;
timely elimination of weeds;
observance of crop rotation;
destruction of the remaining parts of plants after harvesting;
deep autumn plowing.

There are a lot of pests who want to eat cotton. The most common is the spider mite, against which 65% Nitrafen is used in the amount of 40-70 kg / ha.

Aphids and tobacco thrips suck the juices out of plants. You have to poison them with insecticides several times a season until they are completely destroyed. The first time is at the end of March or beginning of April. Which toxins to use and with what frequency depends on the abundance of plant damage by pests.

To combat the winter cutworm, 80% "Chlorophos" is used in the amount of 1.5 kg/ha. And against the cotton bollworm, it is recommended to use the Tiodan insecticide in the amount of 2 kg / ha.

Main Application

The bulk of cotton is used to make fabrics: chintz, cambric, calico, poplin, flannel and many others. The most common cotton fabric is denim. It is durable, wear resistant, breathable.

The quality of a denim fabric is determined by the type of cotton from which it was made. The best jeans are made from Mexican and Barbados cotton. Its fibers are soft, reaching a length of 2.4 cm. From such a fiber, a high-quality fabric is obtained, practically devoid of scars, which is used for the production of durable, wearable and extremely comfortable things. But the cultivation and processing of such cotton is very difficult, so there are few denim products from it - 7% of the total world production.

Cotton from Zimbabwe is of excellent quality at a low cost. But the largest percentage of textile production falls on cotton fabrics produced in India and Asian countries, which are distinguished by short fibers.Denim products made from such cotton make up 50% of the world market.

Each average person on the planet uses about 7 kg of cotton in the form of various textile products during the year.

Cotton is needed not only for textile production. Cotton seeds are not thrown away during the processing of the bolls, but are used to make valuable cosmetic oil. The seeds are also used to make cotton flour for crop production purposes.

Underfur removed from cotton seeds is used in the production of plastic products, photographic paper, varnishes. And the husks of the boxes become useful mixed fodder.

Interesting facts

When the British Lewis Paul and John Wyatt patented a spinning machine for the production of cotton linen in 1738, British Manchester became the world center for cotton processing.

The banknotes that we are used to paying in stores look like paper, in fact, a large percentage of their composition is cotton. Therefore, they do not fall apart when washed with water.

Extraordinary demand of cotton for irrigation has caused the depletion of the water reserves of the Aral Sea. Water for intensive irrigation of the cotton fields there came from the Syr Darya and Amu Darya, the rivers that feed the sea.

Cotton is grown in about 80 countries on all continents. Cotton is depicted on the coats of arms of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and many other Asian and African countries, in whose economy cotton growing occupies the most important place.

In the 19th century, the famous Russian entrepreneur Savva Morozov started growing cotton. He bought American cotton seeds, sent them to the Central Asian and Transcaucasian fields.

The first mention of cotton in ancient Russian sources dates back to the 15th century. Then in Rus' it was customary to call cotton fabric "paper" . This is where the modern concept of "cotton" came from.