Once, as an advertisement for a flower campaign, I sent a magazine with an offer to order seeds of a wide variety of sorts from them. At that moment I was most impressed by the cotton plant, for some reason the idea of ​​growing a spinning plant on my windowsill seemed extremely tempting. In general, I did not hesitate for a long time, I ordered myself a couple of bags of seeds.

The cotton plant (Gossypium) comes from the Malvaceae family; there are about a hundred species in nature, among which there are herbaceous and woody, perennial and annuals. The variety of cotton species is due to its variability, a change in the place of growth and the ability to cross-pollinate leads to the fact that more and more new varieties appear.

The habitat is extensive, it grows in the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa, America and even Australia. Plant height varies from 50 cm to 1 m.

The seeds are wrapped in a damp cloth moistened with epin for several days.

In a few days, when the sprouts hatch, they can be planted in a small container.

Don't forget about additional lighting and temperature conditions

The flower blooms for one day, emits a delicate pleasant aroma

Oval box ripens

After about 1.5 months, the capsule opens, the seeds are hidden in snow-white lint (cotton fluff)

Growing, in principle, is not difficult. But there are a few things to keep in mind:

The timing of sowing seeds. Sow as early as possible - no later than February. Delay can lead to the fact that the flowering and ripening of seeds will occur in late autumn.

Temperature. Cotton plant prefers to grow at a temperature not lower than + 20 ° C. Seeds at this temperature give the best similarity. As the seedlings grow, they can be gradually accustomed to lower temperatures.

Lighting. Choose a well-lit spot on a windowsill for your cotton plant. It should also be well ventilated. If your place is dark, be sure to highlight it.

Humidity should be moderate. Watering is plentiful, but make sure that the water does not stagnate.

Fertilizer. Twice a week during vegetative and generative growth. Apply complex feeding.

Soil and replanting. Prepare the substrate nutritious, rich in humus. Acidity about 6 Ph. Don't forget about drainage. The roots of the plant are long, so choose a deep pot. They are transplanted as they grow, the transfer method is preferable.

Cotton is susceptible to a wide variety of pests. Almost half of the cotton growers' crop perishes annually on the plantations. To prevent our little things from adding to this sad statistics, carry out prevention, at the first suspicion of malaise, start fighting diseases and pests.

Cotton is a fiber of plant origin, obtained from the bolls of cotton - plants of the genus Gossypium, which in Latin means "the tree that gives cotton."

Description of cotton plant

The cotton plant originated about a hundred million years ago in the Malvaceae family. Now on the planet there are thirty-two wild and five cultivated types of cotton, combined into six sections and two subgenera according to their habitat, features of life and appearance. Cultural species fall into nineteen more subspecies, each of which has hundreds (!) Of annual and perennial, tree, shrub and herbaceous varieties.
Cotton is one or perennial herbs(less often trees reaching heights of up to 7 meters) with large leaves, white, yellow or pink flowers... When ripe, cotton fruits open into 2-5 segments and are seeds, enveloped in the finest fibers from 15 to 55 mm long, usually white... The longer and thinner the fibers, the more valuable they are.

Between the tenth and twelfth weeks after sowing the seeds, the first flowers appear in white or yellow shades. Upon ripening, the flowers will change their color to pink and purple (the beauty of cotton flowers was appreciated by the ancient Chinese - in the VIII century they grew cotton as ornamental plant). Almost immediately after this, the plant begins to drop capsules, which swell to the size of a hen's egg. Ripening of cotton occurs 5-7 weeks after flowering.

The root system of cotton is pivotal, penetrating to a depth of 2 m, however, the largest mass of roots is in the 0.5-meter soil layer. In conditions of excess moisture, the roots are less developed, their core type is not so clearly expressed.
The main stem is vertical, 80 cm high or more. After the development of 3-7 leaves on the main stem, branches with generative organs are formed from the axils of the subsequent ones. The earlier the first branch grows, the sooner the variety will ripen.

Cotton is a self-pollinator, but cross-pollination has also been noted. More than 30 generative organs can form on the bush, however, due to the loss of flowers and ovaries, caused by genetic characteristics and violation of agricultural technology, up to 20-50% of the resulting bolls are preserved and matured.

Distribution and history

Cotton produces the world's most abundant textile fiber. It is grown in many temperate regions. The main producing countries are China, USA, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Turkey, Egypt.
The geographical origin of cotton is South Asia. On the bushes 6, or even more than 12 meters high, by the fall, skinny bolls with seeds ripened. Cotton has changed a lot, leaving, as they say, “From rags to riches”. In every way. Has become lower, but as it were dignified. There were more bolls on each plant, and, most importantly, they seemed to be stuffed with white fiber. Yes, in this sense, people are clearly lucky with cotton. He, as they say, is prone to variability. This property is striking: In one field you will not find two completely similar plants. Rather, you can easily notice that the color of the flowers and the shape of the leaves are different. This means: purposeful selection is easier from genus to genus. On the territory of our Central Asian republics, cotton has been cultivated since the sixth century BC.

Cotton plant is surprising in that the peoples of the Old and New World began to grow it independently of each other. Columbus and his companions saw cotton aprons and scarves on the inhabitants of the continent they discovered, which protected their heads from the sun. Later, the ruler of the Aztecs donated 30 bales of cotton cloaks to the Spanish conqueror Cortes. Cotton has been known in India since the 6th century BC. Herodotus wrote that "strange plants grow there, on which wool grows instead of fruits." In hot climates, people preferred light clothes made of cotton, thick and heavy clothes made of linen. The finest Indian fabrics were so thin that they could be threaded through wedding ring... Through the Arab market, cotton got to Palestine, Egypt, Andalusia, Sicily. Until the end of the eighth century, it was imported into Europe only in the form finished products... For the first time the production of cotton fabrics was opened in 1772 in England.

Views

There are 39 known types of cotton. They all come from warm temperate or tropical zones. However, only four species are regularly bred, or rather, many of their varieties. Several more species are sometimes grown as ornamental in gardens.

Genetically, cotton species are divided into two groups, differing in the number of chromosomes in the cell: diploid and tetraploid. A single set of chromosomes is designated by the letter "n". In cotton, n is 13. Most of the cotton species are diploid, i.e. their non-sex cells have two sets of chromosomes (2n = 26). Diploid and two cultivated species - Indo-Chinese cotton, or tree (G. arboreum), and herbaceous cotton, or Guza (G. herbaceum). Two more species that are of much greater economic importance are Peruvian cotton, or Barbados (G. barbadense), and Mexican, ordinary, or upland cotton (G. hirsutum) - tetraploids, i.e. they have four sets of chromosomes (4n = 52).
Diploid cultivated species originate either from Africa or Asia, but are called unambiguously Asian at the place of introduction into the culture. The homeland of cultural tetraploids is the New World, but it has been established that one diploid set is "local" for them, and the second is Asian. How they came together is unclear.

Since ploidy affects the characteristics of cotton fiber, experiments were carried out to change the chromosome number of cotton. For example, by crossing different lines and treating with colchicine (this substance suppresses the divergence of chromosomes during cell division) triploid (3n) and hexaploid (6n) plants were obtained.

Common cotton may have its origins in southern Mexico and Central America, but countless cultivated forms, accounting for approximately 90% of the world's cotton fiber production, originate in both the New World and the Old World. The height of these plants is 0.6-1.5 m, their oval seeds are covered with thick grayish, reddish or green lint and white long fibers - thin or medium in thickness, usually 5-13 mm long.

The Barbadian cotton plant probably comes from the west South America... Its island types, so named because they were formerly grown on islands off the coast of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, are now bred primarily in the West Indies and the southeastern United States. The long fibers of these plants (38-44 mm) are creamy, silky. The Egyptian types, which produce long, strong fiber, are descended from the island types introduced into Egypt. They are now grown in Egypt, the southwestern United States, western Asia, Sudan and Peru. The fibers of these plants are brownish, 35-44 mm long.

The birthplace of tree-like cotton, reaching more than 3 m in height, and herbaceous cotton, possibly India. These ancient Asian cultures, which do not play a significant role in modern cotton growing, have long fibers, stiff and short - 9-19 mm.

Cotton plant. Photo

Cotton. Photo: David Stanley

Cotton plant. Photo: Brian Dunnette

Usage

Cotton is the main source of woven fiber worldwide. Today, the world production of raw cotton is 25.5 million tons from 34.8 million hectares of crops. The main cotton producers in the world are China, the USA and India, which account for almost 60% of world production. About 53% of the world's cotton production comes from subsidies. Countries such as the United States, China, Greece, Spain, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, Egypt and India are fully funding own production cotton.

Cotton is grown in over 100 countries, accounting for about 40% of the global woven fiber market. Cotton is cultivated in different climatic zones, in particular tropical, subtropical and temperate.

In the production of plant fibers, cotton accounts for up to 75%. Up to 75 types of products can be obtained from cotton. One ton of raw cotton (seeds with fiber) gives up to 320 kg of fiber, 650 kg of seeds, 10 kg of short lint fiber 4-5 mm long.
Cotton fiber is used to make fabrics household use(satin, chintz, cambric, parachute, etc.), film, explosives. Lint is used for the manufacture of artificial silk, paper, insulating fabrics. The seeds are used to obtain edible and industrial oils, and the waste goes to animal feed. The stems are suitable for making paper, varnishes, alcohol.



“This amazing shrub grows in India. From large fruits resembling a nut, little lamb with white wool, which is later used to make fine fabrics ”- this is how a famous English traveler described cotton in the 16th century, which impressed him to the core. And to prove his words, he demonstrated a dress made of the finest chintz, passing it through a ring. Much time has passed since then, but today we are actively using the valuable properties of this plant, practically not knowing anything about it. It's time to open the veil of secrecy and get to know this extraordinary miracle of nature.

What is cotton?

India is considered the homeland of the plant, although today it is grown in many countries of the world, including China, the USA, Brazil, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Russia and Tajikistan. Cotton, or, as it is called in Latin, Gossypium, is most often a biennial herb of the Malvov family. Relating to herbs, it looks very much like a shrub.

• Its height reaches 1.5–2 meters.
• The root system, related to the rod type, penetrates to a depth of 3 meters.
• The stem is branched, slightly pubescent or glabrous, with a variety of shades: from green to red-violet. Sometimes a brownish color appears only on the side facing the sun, which is why it is called a tan.
• The shape of the leaf is very similar to that of a grape. Consists of a green or reddish plate, whole or divided into lobes, a rounded petiole and two protruding stipules at the base. As the fruits ripen, the leaves fall off, which greatly facilitates the harvesting of the crop.

Cotton flowers deserve special attention. They are solitary, rather large, formed from five wide petals, bordered by green sepals. Barely blooming, they acquire a white or yellowish-cream color. After ripening and pollination, they become pink, burgundy or purple. Such beauty made the bush welcome guest on garden plots and home windowsills.

How does cotton fiber appear?

Most plant species are bred solely for the sake of cotton fiber. Observing the process of the formation of this valuable material, you are once again convinced how wise and harmonious nature is.

1. In place of the flower, a fruit is formed, which is called the seed capsule in cotton. Each such capsule is divided into 3-5 nests, each of which contains up to 11 seeds.
2. The formation of fibers begins even before the pollination of the flower. If you examine the embryos of seeds under a microscope, you can see the smallest sprouts on their surface.
3. After pollination, active fiber growth begins, which lasts 20 days, until full maturation seeds.
4. At the same time, the box also increases. Sometimes it reaches the size of a large nut or chicken eggs... Over time, its walls dry out, turn brown and crack.
5. The enlarged fibers push the walls of the fruit apart, and a lush white foam comes out. In the wild, it is needed to spread seeds: air fluff is easily carried by the wind or animals.

It's harvest time for cultivated plants. Most often, special machines are used for this purpose. At the front, they are equipped with a special mechanism that removes the fruits and separates their shell. At the back there is a reservoir for the harvested cotton mass. This type of gathering is very productive - 800 kg of cotton fibers per hour. But many people prefer to harvest by hand - this way the quality of the fiber becomes higher due to the fact that the remnants of the fruit shell are excluded from it. Interestingly, the boxes ripen unevenly, so the harvest is harvested in several stages.

When harvesting, you need to ensure that the seeds are dry, otherwise there is a risk of rotting.

Plant species

There are about 50 types of cotton in nature, differing in appearance, properties, fiber quality and color, as well as requirements for living conditions. Of all this variety, only 4 varieties are used for cultivation.

1. Common cotton- the most common variety with a relatively high (up to 2 m) stem and short fiber. White flowers turn pink when exposed to the sun. Differs in disease resistance and high productivity. It is he who is the raw material for 80% of the cotton fiber produced in the world.
2. Herbaceous cotton plant- due to its hardiness and short stature (the stems barely reach one and a half meters in height), this plant can be cultivated even in regions with a temperate climate. Distinctive feature- a yellow flower with a red speck inside, in the place of which a small and round fruit box appears. The fiber of this plant is white, the shortest and coarse to the touch.
3. Treelike cotton plant – perennial, which can only be found in the tropical zone. It is the tallest member of the family, sometimes reaching 6 meters in height. Red flowers conquer with their splendor. The highest quality fiber can be recognized by its distinctive yellow tint.
4. Peruvian cotton, Barbados or Egyptian - the most valuable species, which is famous for its durable and long, up to 44 mm, fiber. It grows mainly in coastal areas.

Breeders work tirelessly, bringing out more and more improved varieties of cotton. Recent achievements include cotton with colored fibers in yellow, green, orange, brownish and lilac shades. During further processing, such raw materials no longer require dyeing, and products from it do not fade or fade in the sun.

Low herbaceous varieties with large bright flowers are more suitable for growing cotton at home.

The benefits of cotton

Chintz, satin, calico, cambric, denim - what kind of fabrics are not made from cotton fiber. Natural, lightweight, breathable, comfortable and pleasant to the touch, they have been leading in popularity all over the world for centuries. But this is not all that an unpredictable bush gives a person.

• Cottonseeds are a great source of vegetable oil, which is used for food, as well as raw materials for technical needs, making candles and soap.
• Hulls and cake are used as livestock feed and are considered an excellent source of vegetable protein.
• Lint - the fluff that remains on the seed - is used as stuffing for pillows and mattresses.
• Cellulose, which is part of the down-pad, is a raw material for the manufacture of paper, plastic, photographic film, felt and artificial leather.

Due to its unique composition, cotton is widely known in traditional and folk medicine as an excellent aseptic, antiviral, antipyretic, hemostatic and astringent agent, helping with atherosclerosis, hypertension and diseases nervous system... Extracts, infusions and oils are often used in cosmetology as an anti-aging, tonic and anti-inflammatory agent.

When using cottonseed oil, remember that it contains a specific pigment, gossypol, which is a toxic phenol compound that provokes reproductive disorders and metabolic processes in the body.

How to grow cotton at home?

To grow, this wonderful plant needs climatic conditions tropics or subtropics. Therefore, flower growers who live in other latitudes have no choice but to grow an outlandish shrub in a pot on their windowsill. How is this process going?

1. Cotton is usually planted in early spring.
2. First, the seeds are prepared - for this they are cleaned of the down and put on a wet cloth.
3. The first shoots hatch in about a week.
4. It's time to place the seedlings in flower pot, which should be deep enough so as not to inhibit the development of the root system.
5. Fertile soil is poured there with the addition of lumps of sand and clay and fertilized with humus.
6. The pot is covered with foil, but airing is regularly arranged.
7. After about a week, the first shoots appear, similar to a butterfly.
8. When 2-3 leaves are formed on the stem, young bushes are planted in separate pots, which are left indoors or taken out to a greenhouse.
9. After a month, you can see the first flowers, and then the fruits.

By cutting off the top of the central stem and lateral processes from the plant in summer, an increase in the number of fruits can be achieved.

Care features

Cultivation of cotton is a laborious process. For the normal growth and development of this shrub, it is necessary to create conditions close to those programmed by nature.

• The temperature in the room should be about 30 0 C. At low temperatures there is a danger of non-germination of seeds, at higher temperatures (up to 40 0 ​​C) - wilting and shedding of flowers and seed pods.
• The plant does not tolerate shade, so it is better to keep it on the sunny side, but out of the reach of direct sun rays.
• “Cotton has a head in the sun, and feet in the water,” says popular wisdom. Indeed, the shrub needs frequent and abundant watering, as well as constant spraying from a spray bottle.
• During the period when buds and flowers appear, cotton should be fed with potash or phosphorus fertilizer.
• Systematic loosening of the surface soil layer and the use of a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot will provide oxygen and moisture to the root system.

If you decide to plant cotton in the garden, let him be company peanut- it will enrich the soil with nitrogen and other nutrients.

Diseases and pests

Diseases caused by pathogenic fungi or bacteria, as well as malnutrition of the plant, cause great harm to the cotton crop. These problems reach their peak by the summer season, shortly before the ripening of the cotton fiber. Unfortunately, even shrubs that grow at home and are surrounded by the triple attention of the owner-grower are susceptible to their effects.

• Fusarium is a fungus disease-causing, provokes wilting of buds and flowers, drying of leaves and, ultimately, the death of the plant. In surviving shrubs, fruiting is significantly reduced or stops altogether. Mainly affected are fine-fiber varieties of cotton.
• Black root rot. It is caused by a fungus that lives in the soil. Through the roots and intercellular space, it spreads in the form of a mycelium throughout the plant, affecting the root collar, stem and leaves. As a result, the bush dries up and becomes brittle.
• Gommoz. Wind-borne bacteria cause disease that affects the stems, leaves, bracts and even the fiber inside the pod. A characteristic feature the problem is the release of gum - a sticky thick liquid that dries up in the form of a grayish film. The plant is covered with brown spots, leaves and stems are deformed.
• Anthracnose is the so-called pink rot, from which both seedlings and already adult plants can suffer. The disease can be recognized by the characteristic brown spots with a red rim on the trunk, leaves and capsules. Unfortunately, the infected bushes die off.

The most effective remedy The fight for plant health is to dress the seeds before planting. Previously, sulfuric acid was used for this purpose, copper sulfate or bleach - rather aggressive substances, when working with which you need to be very careful. Today the situation is simpler - you just need to purchase a special aqueous suspension of treaters in a flower shop.

More than 200 insect species threaten the healthy growth of cotton. Among them, the following stand out.

Of course, to grow cotton at home, you will have to put in a lot of work and worries. But it's worth it to one day see white fluffy clouds that have opened on thin twigs.

The cotton plant (Latin Gossypium) belongs to the Malvov family (Latin Malvaceae). In natural conditions, it grows in the tropics and subtropics. In total, about 50 species of these plants are known.

After flowering, seed pods are formed. In addition to seeds, white fluffy fibers grow in them. Cotton fabrics and medical cotton wool are made from these fibers.

The cotton plant was already known to the ancient Egyptians. It was brought to Europe by the Arabs in the 10th century, and the mass production of cotton fabric began only in the 14th century. Due to its unusual appearance and beautiful flowers it is also grown as a houseplant.

Care

There are different kinds, including annuals and perennials. V indoor conditions annuals are most often grown. This plant should be grown in a bright, sunny and draft-free place. It can also be kept in an open-air garden, but in this case it will be necessary to use a shelter from the rain.

Cotton plant tolerates well summer heat, but at the first frost it dies. Water the plant as the earthen clod dries out in the pot. In early spring it needs to be fed biweekly with fertilizer for flowering plants.

Reproduction

Cotton is propagated only by seeds. Sow them as early as possible, around January or February. It is necessary to deepen them into the soil by about 1 cm. Be sure to cover the top with glass. Germinate them in a bright place at a temperature of 20 ° C to 22 ° C.

The first shoots appear within a few days. During this period, they need to provide good humidity... It is not recommended to spray with water from a sprayer, as you can damage the delicate stems. It is best to moisten the soil between the rows of seedlings with a medical syringe or pipette.

When the plants become cramped, they need to be cut into a larger container. When they reach 10 cm in height, they are seated in pots with a diameter of 15 cm. They remain in them until the end of their life, that is, until autumn. Cotton blooms usually 8 weeks after germination.

Cotton is one of the best organic materials at all times of human history, used in various industries. The main consumer of fiber is the textile industry, which cannot be imagined without cotton. Fabrics made from this material have excellent characteristics.

Cotton remains in demand over time, as it was many centuries ago.

Description

Cotton is a plant fiber that envelops the seeds of a cotton plant. It is one of the most important and widespread crops around the world. It occupies a leading position as the basis for the production of fabrics. There are dozens of species of this plant.

By external characteristics cotton grows like a shrub. The similarity is due to the presence of branches and leaves. An illustrative example serves next photo cotton plant.

In fact, cotton, depending on the species, is a woody or herbaceous plant. It takes root only in hot countries, it needs a warm and humid climate. Its height ranges from one meter to one and a half meters. their color also differs in varietal characteristics, can be pollinated independently. The fruit is a boll of cotton in which the seeds and fibers ripen.

History

In order to find out how cotton grows, it is useful to read a little historical background about it.

The cultivation of cotton has a long history. This is confirmed by excavations of ancient settlements. India is considered to be the country that started the development of cotton. It was there that the most ancient samples of material and tools for its processing were found. Further, cotton fiber became widespread in Greece and Arab countries. Excavations in China, Persia, Mexico, Peru also speak of the cultivation of cotton for several millennia BC.

From the countries that cultivate the culture, cotton products have spread to Asia and America. Self-cultivation of cotton by these countries began much later.

Before the beginning of cultivation in Europe, there were many legends about how cotton grows. Several variants of names in different cultures have survived to this day, as well as images according to the ideas of people.

Growing cotton

The ripening period for cotton fiber varies depending on the variety: from 100 to 200 days.

Growing cotton fiber requires a well-prepared, porous soil. The presence in it nutrients It has great importance for the full growth of the plant. Therefore, before sowing, the land is enriched with the help of various fertilizers.

Warm climates also play a huge role. Seeds can germinate at temperatures no lower than 15 degrees. For development and further flowering, the temperature must reach 30 degrees. Cotton needs open access to sunlight. In the shade, the plant may die.

Cotton plants consume a lot of water. The supply of moisture to the plant should be abundant and constant. At the same time, cotton is able to tolerate drought due to its well-developed root system. But under such conditions, the amount of the crop is reduced.

Ripening of cotton on the plant is uneven, therefore, the harvest takes place in several stages. Often leaves are removed from it before harvesting, which can interfere with the harvesting process.

After the boll with fiber ripens, it opens. The cotton picking begins, which passes mechanically or manually. The ripe fiber bolls are plucked from the plant together with the seeds. Further, the raw material is cleaned from seeds, dust and debris, and is transported to its destination.

Properties

Cotton fiber has a number of positive properties:

• perfectly absorbs moisture;
• does not cause allergies;
• warms, keeps warm;
• has high air permeability;
• does not need complex care;
• has a low cost;
• convenient for sewing various clothes.

Cotton also has several negative properties:

• without adding it is crumpled, stretched and thinned;
• quickly loses color when exposed to sunlight;
• loses its properties upon prolonged contact with water.

Application

Cotton fiber is used in various spheres of human life.

Primarily, cotton is used in the textile industry. It is used to produce fabrics of various characteristics and colors. For example, satin, flannel, chintz and many others. Cotton fiber is used in the manufacture of threads, yarn, cotton wool, paper, and even explosives.

Cotton seeds are also used in industry. Some of them are being prepared for further disembarkation. Oil is squeezed out of the rest of the seeds, which is used for food. Low quality oil is used for technical needs. The raw materials remaining after pressing the oil are rich in protein, therefore, animal feed is made from it.

Of the dozens of varieties of cotton, several are used for the manufacturing industry.

Information about how cotton grows and its industrial applications are interesting and important. This plant has played a large role in the history of mankind for many centuries.