What are G. arboreum, G. herbaceum, G. hirsutum and G. barbadense, whose all the four species are cultivated in India ? (G = Gossypium)

The genus Gossypium comprises the species commonly known as cotton. There are four main cultivated species of cotton globally: Gossypium arboreum, G. herbaceum, G. hirsutum, and G. barbadense [4]. India is unique as the only country in the world where all four of these cultivated species are grown commercially. G. arboreum (tree cotton) and G. herbaceum (Levant cotton) are diploid Old World species [4]. G. hirsutum (Upland cotton) and G. barbadense (Egyptian or Sea Island cotton) are tetraploid New World species [4]. While G. hirsutum accounts for the majority of global production due to its high yield, G. barbadense is prized for its superior fiber quality [4]. In India, these species are grown across various agro-climatic zones, including the north-western, western, and southern plateaus [5].

Sources

1. [1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/gossypium-barbadense
2. [4] INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Land Resources and Agriculture > Cotton > p. 32
3. [2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-019-0371-5
4. [3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/gossypium
5. [5] https://cotton.dac.gov.in/schemes/14._Nodal_Crop_Cotton_its_Development_Programme-converted.pdf