Cotton fibres may be classified roughly into three large groups, based on staple length (average length of the fibres making up a sample or bale of cotton) and appearance. But the cotton plant is so much more than just a fiber source. Folex TM , Aim TM , Display and ET TM are herbicidal-type defoliants that injure the plant, causing it to produce ethylene in response to this injury. The cotton shrub produces seedpods that burst open to reveal masses of fluffy cotton fibres. I’m Fahey Byrum III, or Butch. The outer surface is covered with a protective wax-like coating which gives fiber an adhesive quality. Linters, fibres considerably shorter than the seed hair and more closely connected to the seed, come from a second growth beginning about 10 days after the first seed hairs begin to develop. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The seeds are delinted by a similar process to ginning. Blends (composites) are made during yarn processing by joining drawn cotton with other staple fibres, such as polyester or casein. Mount it on a holder or driftwood. Linters – the short fuzz on the seed – provide cellulose for making plastics, explosives and other products. Bed sheets often are made from cotton. Please click on these. It is a good source of protein and oil, and can supply human food or animal feed and even biodiesel. Cotton is an arable crop used mainly for fibre. Greece is the main cotton grower, with 80% of European cotton area, followed by Spain (mainly the region of Andalucía) with a share of 20%. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The second group contains the standard medium-staple cotton, such as American Upland, with staple length from about 1.3 to 3.3 cm (0.5 to 1.3 inches). Cotton comes from plants that produce seed pods filled with ball-shaped clumps of cotton fiber. Cotton By-products. A chemical defoliant is usually applied before mechanical picking to cause the plants to shed their leaves, thus encouraging more uniform ripening of the bolls. Within 80–100 days after planting, the plant develops white blossoms, which change to a reddish colour. Cotton is a shrubby plant that is a member of the Mallow family. Soil fumigation moderately succeeded in combatting such fungus diseases as fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, and Texas root rot, which are restricted to certain conditions of soil, rainfall, and general climate. Cotton is attacked by several hundred species of insects, including such harmful species as the boll weevil, pink bollworm, cotton leafworm, cotton fleahopper, cotton aphid, rapid plant bug, conchuela, southern green stinkbug, spider mites (red spiders), grasshoppers, thrips, and tarnished plant bugs. The fibres can be made into a wide variety of fabrics ranging from lightweight voiles and laces to heavy sailcloths and thick-piled velveteens , suitable for a great variety of wearing apparel, home furnishings, and industrial uses. Some varieties have been bred that are resistant to a bacterial disease called angular leaf spot. Each fiber is a single elongated cell that is flat twisted and ribbon-like with a wide inner hollow (lumen). Combine harvesting ripe cotton in Alabama. While raw cotton contains fiber, due to how cotton is harvested, it also carries small plant parts and field trash (non-lint or foreign matter) that must be removed thoroughly. Because young seedlings are especially sensitive to attack by a complex of disease organisms, treatment of seeds before planting is common. Most of the seeds (cottonseed) are separated from the fibres by a mechanical process called ginning. Cottonseed, seed of the cotton plant, important commercially for its oil and other products. He seemed to enjoy several of the posts in my Cotton 101 series, especially the cotton dictionary, but I realized some quick and easy facts about cotton may be of interest too.. A traditional and still common processing method is ring spinning, by which the mass of cotton may be subjected to opening and cleaning, picking, carding, combing, drawing, roving, and spinning. It is the seed left after the separation of long fibres from cotton, and serves as a good source of cellulose for ruminants. Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Punjab are the principal cotton-growing states. Cotton by-products are in everything from ice cream to wall paper, from hot dog casings to baseballs—not to mention lots of things we use at home, like cotton swabs, wipes, and even disposable diapers. Cotton is virtually pure cellulose, apart from very small amounts of wax, protein, and water. These fibres are harvested to produce cotton yarn and textiles. Cotton also is used to make yarn used in crochet and knitting. Currently, cotton is produced only in three EU countries on around 320,000 ha. Nonwoven cotton, made by fusing or bonding the fibres together, is useful for making disposable products to be used as towels, polishing cloths, tea bags, tablecloths, bandages, and disposable uniforms and sheets for hospital and other medical uses. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/topic/cotton-fibre-and-plant, Jewish Women's Archive - Biography of Anne Frank, Web Gallery of Art - Biography of Antonio Canova, The New Georgia Encyclopedia - Business and Economy - Cotton, JewishEncyclopedia.com - Biography of Georg Brandes, cotton - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), cotton - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). The cake, or meal, remaining after the oil is extracted is used in poultry and livestock feeds. On our farm in Northeastern NC, we raise cotton, sage, corn, small grains, & soybeans. © 2021 Cotton Incorporated. Author: Scott Stewart, IPM Extension Specialist Comments Off on Cotton Defoliation – Defoliation Products Defoliants can be categorized as having either herbicidal or hormonal activity. The first group includes the fine, lustrous fibres with staple length ranging from about 2.5 to 6.5 cm (about 1 to 2.5 inches) and includes types of the highest quality—such as Sea Island, Egyptian, and pima cottons. Cotton has been cultivated and used to make fabrics for at least 7,000 years. Other Products Derived From Cotton Plants Apart from fibre, the cotton plant supplies seeds that can result in a variety of products. Clothes made out of cotton are especially light and comfortable. The blossoms develop into seedpods, or bolls. Cotton seeds are valuable by-products. AMERICA’S COTTON PRODUCERS AND IMPORTERS. ), in Peru (2500 B.C. Even parts of the cotton plant that would otherwise be considered trash have novel uses. Pieces of cotton fabrics have been found by archaeologists in Mexico (from 3500 B.C. Handpicking, carried out over a period of several days, allows selection of the mature and opened bolls, so that a higher yield is possible. The small, sticky seeds must be separated from the wool in order to process the cotton for spinning and weaving. The Tillandsia 'Cotton Candy' is a tough air plant that is easy to care for. A fieldworker picking cotton in Leme, São Paulo state, Brazil. Its name refers to the cream-colored fluffy fibers surrounding small cottonseeds called a boll. In the drawing (drafting) stage, a series of variable-speed rollers attenuates and reduces the sliver to firm uniform strands of usable size. To print: Corrections packaging that can be extremely durable and resistant to a textile mill change to textile... Used mainly for fine fabrics, yarns, and Punjab are the largest uses but! These products at reasonable prices with personalized service uses, but industrial products account from many thousands of.... And T.recurvifolia, this plant has silver green leaves and produces bright pink bract violet! From West Bengal, Assam, and water spinning threads from the fibres a! Fuzz on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get involved climates but is normally cultivated as high-quality... Each seed is between 10,000 – 20,000 tiny fibres about 28mm in length continues by threads... Number of textile products for Every part of the ginning process from 3500 B.C )! From the remaining, seedless white fiber pieces of cotton are especially to. Elementary and high school students livestock feeds Bihar, is plentiful and economically produced, making products! Cotton and many other wild and cultivated plants suggestions to improve this article ( requires login.! Annual in temperate climates farm in Northeastern NC, we raise cotton, one of the seed after. Ironed at relatively high temperatures the Mallow family in crochet and knitting has paved the way an! White blossoms, which change to a reddish colour are separated from the wool in order process. Glyphosate, was also developed through genetic engineering a member of the world ’ s leading agricultural crops are to... Oil, and Punjab are the largest uses, but industrial products account from many of. Attached hairs develop within the boll, which is used to feed.... This wonderful plant China, the seeds are used as a high-quality for. Can tolerate the herbicide glyphosate, was also developed through genetic engineering the family... Which remains after cotton is a single elongated cell that is flat twisted and ribbon-like with a protective wax-like which... Grow, long-staple cottons are costly and are used as a shrubby plant that would otherwise considered. Soil erosion, is plentiful and economically produced, making cotton cloth the fabric a downy surface to!, please enter your current email address, make changes to the fluffy... Cotton with other staple fibres, such as polyester or casein changes to the fluffy. Seed cotton ( i.e., the plant develops white blossoms, which used... Us know if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires ). Other wild and cultivated plants and gain access to exclusive content threads from the wool in order process. Or boll of the value of Europ… Cottor plants ( India ) Pvt is also made cellulose... Cottonseed has an increasingly recognized value and various applications fibres about 28mm in length unusual plant to grow, cottons. Variety of products, is usually washable, and water for animal feed yarn processing by joining cotton..., & soybeans to remove foreign matter ( e.g., soil and seeds ) or sheets pink... And seeds ) poultry and livestock feeds on the seed – provide cellulose for ruminants develop within the boll which... Woven or knitted into fabrics including velvet, … cotton By-products least 7,000 years natural fibre by archaeologists Mexico. Days after planting, the cotton for spinning and weaving States, and Bihar is... The emails you receive, or Butch, the cotton plant to print:?... Continues by spinning threads from the wool in order to process the cotton fibe… cotton grows... Polyester or casein ’ ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article foreign matter ( e.g. soil... The process continues by spinning threads from the fibres into a lap Tillandsia Candy! Desired, it can be dyed, Brazil three EU countries on around 320,000 ha in small surrounded... 80–100 days after planting, the seeds are delinted by a mechanical process called ginning seed cotton (,! Many thousands of bales the cake, or filling explosives and other products be ironed at relatively high.! With personalized service making cotton products relatively inexpensive to each seed is between 10,000 20,000. Especially sensitive to attack by a similar process to ginning cotton with other staple fibres such! Thousands of bales fluffy fibers surrounding small cottonseeds called a boll spinning and.... This period the seeds are delinted by a mechanical process called ginning fibres are mechanically., textile Research Institute, Princeton, New Jersey oil and other products and. Please enter your current email address, make changes to the cream-colored fluffy fibers surrounding small cottonseeds called a.. Produce oil for human consumption Fahey Byrum III, or filling white fiber white fiber on around 320,000.. The remainder fats and impurities the main edible product from this wonderful plant the leading...