Source: Ecotextile

CALIFORNIA – Scientists who have for the first time mapped the genome of the simplest type of cotton, hope it could eventually lead to new, more robust cotton varieties that have enhanced yields, improved fibre qualities and better stress tolerance in extreme environments.

An international consortium of researchers from 31 institutions has for the first time presented a genetic map of the simplest cotton (Gossypium raimondii), which has allowed scientists to trace its lineage over millions of years, examine the evolution of cotton hybrids and to analyse gene duplications that have contributed to past cotton fibre development.

Commenting on the research breakthrough, Don Jones, Director of Agricultural Research at Cotton Incorporated, said this new development could also be the foundation for sequencing upland cotton (G. hirsutum), which makes up most of the worldwide field cotton crop. “This sequence is a cornerstone that will help advance our knowledge so we more thoroughly understand the biology that leads to enhanced yield, improved fibre quality, and better stress tolerance, all improvements that will benefit growers in the not-too-distant future.”

In terms of sustainability, biotechnology has the potential to address drought tolerance, salinity and other factors affecting cotton farming, although long-term success of this technology does still depend on managing pest resistance.

In the past, there have also been some concerns that such important genetic research may not make it into the public domain immediately. It’s unclear right now if this will be the case with this new genomic map, yet if it is widely shared, it’s more likely that it could be introduced with sensitivity to small farmers working in marginal environments, who suffer most from poverty and the fall-out from climate stress.

In terms of new cotton biotechnology, there are also cost implications for small farmers. As Simon Ferrigno noted in the Insider’s Guide to Cotton & Sustainability, “The risk with expensive technology is that it may become a barrier to the market participation of smaller or resource poor cotton farmers with little access to finance and/or risk management tools such as crop insurance.”

Yet, everyone in the cotton value chain should welcome the science behind this new development. As Ferrigno states, “We need science; we also need a code of ethics that tells us whether or not we use it, and within what parameters; however, once we start rejecting science we reject many opportunities to find better ways of doing things.”

Dr Kater Hake, Vice-President of Agricultural & Environmental Research at Cotton Incorporated, said this blueprint of the simplest cotton genome will provide cotton breeders a detailed roadmap of where desirable genetic traits are located:  “Whether a grower subscribes to organic or conventional farming practices, this research will speed to market improved cotton varieties that address specific soil, weather and pest-related challenges in the U.S. Cotton Belt and beyond.”

The international consortium of researchers from 31 institutions included a team from the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), which also genome from this ancestral species indigenous to the Americas to several other sets of cotton data contributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In the United States, more than 200,000 domestic jobs are related to cotton production and processing, with an aggregate influence of about US$35 billion on the annual U.S. gross domestic product. The cotton fibre grown is valued at about US$6 billion per year, with cottonseed oil and meal byproducts worth nearly another US$1 billion.