Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a bowl around the seeds of cotton plants. This cotton fiber is almost completely made of cellulose and it contains small quantities of fats, pectins, waxes, etc. The cotton plant is a shrub native and is mostly grown in subtropical regions like America, Africa, India, and Egypt. Mexico has the largest collection of wild cotton species. The cotton is spun into yarn or thread to make clothes. It is used to make light breathable clothes. The United States of America is the largest exporter of cotton presently.
The cotton plant requires a lot of sunshine, high sunlight, moderate rainfall, and frost-free time. The Soil used for the cultivation of cotton should include heavy nutrients. The soil should be fertile and well drained The appropriate temperature for the growth of cotton is 70° to 100o F. The average cotton plant can survive temperatures up to 110o F for short period. The cotton plant requires moderate water for growth but continuous rainfall may damage the plant so a dry climate is preferred. All these conditions are mostly found in subtropical regions. Mostly all the cotton grown today in the world is grown in dry regions with the help of irrigation systems.
Presently, the United States of America is the largest exporter of cotton. Cotton production is a 21 billion dollar industry in the US market. In the United states the cotton is predominantly grown in 17 southern tiered cotton belt states ranging from Virginia to California. The cotton crop is planted in march and harvested between august and December. Texas is the largest cotton-producing state in the USA and contributes 40 percent of the country’s production. Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, California, and North Carolina are the largest cotton-producing states in the USA.
Among all the countries India has the largest area under cultivation of cotton which is 36 percent of the total land used for the cultivation of Cotton. 67 percent of the cotton grown in India depends on rainwater for the water requirement and the remaining 33 percent uses water from irrigation systems. Gujarat is the largest cotton-producing state in India followed by Maharashtra and Telangana. During the last year, Gujarat alone produced 95 bales of Cotton. The main cotton production region in Gujarat are Mehsana, Bharuch, Surendranagar, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad. In Maharashtra, the largest cotton-producing regions are Akola, Wardha, Amravati, Yavatamal, and Vidarbha.
Name any two major fiber crops and the climatic conditions required for their growth
India is a country in South Asia and is the seventh-largest country by area and second-largest by population. It is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean from three of its sides. The large abundance of natural resources was an additional advantage. It became a prominent place for trade due to the above reasons and the vast coastline. There was a huge market in the European countries for Indian spices and various crops grown in the country. India has always been highly dependent on the agricultural sector. The fertile land in the country helps the production of various crops. The major fibers grown in India are Jute, Cotton, Coir, Flax, Sun hemp, etc.