Cotton
The cotton plant belongs to the genus Gossypium of the family Malvaceae (mallow family). It is generally a shrubby plant having broad three-lobed leaves and seeds in capsules, or bolls; each seed is surrounded with downy fiber, white or creamy in color and easily spun. The fibers flatten and twist naturally as they dry. Cotton is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Malvales, family Malvaceae. Cotton is of tropical origin but is most successfully cultivated in temperate climates with well-distributed rainfall. It is planted annually by seed in furrows; the plants are thinned and weeded during the spring growing season. Diseases and insect pests are numerous; of these the most destructive has been the boll weevil, which has caused enormous losses. Genetically altered strains of cotton are being developed that can resist infestation by some insects and damage by application of herbicides. Mechanical harvesting is preceded by a chemical-defoliant spray t