Article
Article
Cotton
Article By:
Nelson, Elton G. National Agricultural Library, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland.
Bird, Luther S. Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
Last reviewed:April 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.164400
A fiber obtained from the cotton plant Gossypium. The cotton plant (genus Gossypium, order Malvales; Fig. 1) has been used by humans for more than 5000 years. The fiber (cotton) obtained from this plant is the most widely used natural fiber because of its versatility and comparatively low cost to produce and to manufacture into finished products. Cotton traditionally has been used alone in textile products, but blends with artificial fibers are also important. Worldwide, Gossypium hirsutum, or upland cotton, is the predominant planted species of cotton. See also: Fiber crops; Malvales; Natural fiber; Textile
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