Dedication

*This book volume and my introductory chapter are dedicated to the memory of the distinguished cotton geneticist, mentor, and friend Dr. Sukumar Saha who sadly passed away on September 3, 2021. Dr. Saha will always be remembered for his invaluable contribution to the cotton research program of Uzbekistan and for his pioneering scientific research in cotton genomics, cytogenetics, and breeding.*

**1**

Section 1

Introduction
