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Cotton

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Genetic Modification of Plants

Part of the book series: Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry ((AGRICULTURE,volume 64))

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Abstract

Cotton plant is the most important source of natural fiber. The plant also provides seeds, linters, and hulls that are used for food, feed, and several other diverse applications. Traditionally, the cultivation of cotton crop has relied heavily on the use of highly toxic pesticides. Because of its susceptibility to a variety of pests and pathogens and the fact that it is a source of several useful products, the cotton plant offers a large number of targets for modification and improvement through genetic engineering. Transgenic cotton, resistant to certain insects and some herbicides, has been accepted enthusiastically by the farmers in many countries, including the United States, China, and India. This chapter describes various methods and tools used to transform cotton, important traits engineered into this plant, and novel possibilities offered for improvement by the recent advances in genetic modification technologies.

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Acknowledgements

Research in the author's laboratory has been supported by funds from Cotton Incorporated, Texas Cotton Biotechnology Initiative (TxCOT), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (Advanced Research Program), Texas Food & Fibers Commission, and Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

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  1. Institute for Plant Genomics & Biotechnology and Department of Soil and Crop Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2123, USA

    Keerti S. Rathore

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  1. Keerti S. Rathore
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Correspondence to Keerti S. Rathore .

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  1. Botanisches Institut, Universität Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, Kiel, 24118, Germany

    Frank Kempken

  2. Inst. Pflanzenbau und Pflanzenzüchtung, Universität Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, Kiel, 24098, Germany

    Christian Jung

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Rathore, K.S. (2010). Cotton. In: Kempken, F., Jung, C. (eds) Genetic Modification of Plants. Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry, vol 64. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02391-0_15

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