A complete overview of the latest distribution of cotton-producing areas
Cotton is one of the world's most important crops. It is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Gossypium in the Malvaceae family, with a shrub-like form. Grown in tropical regions, it can reach 6 m in height, generally 1 to 2 m. The countries with the highest yields are China, the United States, India, Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Argentina and Sudan. Let's take a look below at the distribution of cotton-producing areas!
Distribution of cotton-producing areas in China
The original home of cotton is India and Arabia. Before cotton was introduced to China, the country had only kapok, which could be used to fill pillows and bedding, and no cotton that could be woven into cloth. China's five major commercial cotton bases are the Jianghuai Plain, the Jianghan Plain, the South Xinjiang cotton region, the central-southern Hebei, northwestern Shandong and northern Henan Plain, and the coastal and riverside plain of the lower Yangtze River. Cultivated varieties include Stoneville cotton, Delfos cotton, Deltapine cotton, Coker cotton and others, and among the recently bred high-yield varieties in the north is Lumian No. 1.
Distribution of cotton-producing areas in the world
Besides China, the countries with the highest cotton yields in the world are the United States, India, Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Argentina, Sudan, Uzbekistan and others. Cotton cultivation first appeared in the Indus Valley civilization in the 5th to 4th millennium BC. Before the Common Era, the use of cotton textiles spread to the Mediterranean region. In the 1st century AD, Arab merchants brought fine cotton cloth to Italy and Spain. Around the 9th century, the Moors introduced cotton cultivation methods to Spain. In the 15th century, cotton was introduced to England and then to England's colonies in North America.
Environment of cotton cultivation areas
1. Light: Cotton is a light-loving crop and is suitable for growing under relatively sufficient light conditions. Both its light compensation point and light saturation point are high. According to measurements, the light compensation point of a single cotton leaf is 750 to 1000 lux, and the light saturation point is 70,000 to 80,000 lux. Under normal circumstances, the suitable range of light intensity for cotton leaves is 8000 to 70000 lux, and within this range the photosynthetic intensity increases as light intensity rises.
2. Water: Cotton growth requires absorbing water from the soil, and the physiological water requirements differ at each growth stage. From sowing to emergence, the water content of the 0 to 20 cm soil layer should preferably be 70 to 80% of field capacity; at the seedling stage, the water content of the 0 to 40 cm soil layer should preferably be 60 to 70% of field capacity; at the early bud stage, the water content of the 0 to 60 cm soil layer should preferably be 65 to 75% of field capacity; after the full bud stage, the water content of the 0 to 80 cm soil layer should preferably be 70 to 80% of field capacity and must not fall below 60 to 65%; during the boll-opening stage, the relative soil water content should preferably remain at 55 to 70%. According to relevant research, over the entire growth period, about 2/3 of the water in a cotton field is consumed by transpiration and 1/3 by soil evaporation.
3. Soil: Cotton growth and development require water and nutrients, mainly obtained from the soil through the root system. The needed temperature and air are partly drawn from the soil, and at the same time the soil's mechanical support is needed for growth. The physical, chemical and biological properties of cotton field soil largely restrict the yield and quality of cotton. Soil moisture, nutrients, temperature, air, salt-alkali content, texture and so on all have a great influence on cotton growth.