**2. History of cotton germplasm in India**

In India, the collection and conservation of plant genetic resources (PGR) of crop species for utilization in crop improvement programmes were initiated with the establishment of the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute in 1905 at Pusa village, Darbhanga District, Bengal (now in Bihar) state. This institute was shifted to New Delhi in 1936 and later in 1947, was renamed the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). The early conservation efforts of PGR involved frequent multiplication and storage of seeds of crops by the breeders in the Botany Division of the Institute [12]. To strengthen these efforts, a unit was set up for the assembly of global germplasm in the division in 1941, which was upgraded as the Division of Plant introduction in 1961. The Plant Introduction Division of IARI provided the necessary impetus and leadership at the national level, particularly for the assembly of PGR through introduction from different parts of the world and their subsequent conservation. The establishment of crop(s) based research institutes further extended and strengthened these efforts. The Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack was established in 1946. Isolated efforts were also being made by the researchers in the State Department of Agriculture, which got a boost with the establishment of the State Agricultural Universities (SAUs). Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, the first SAU, came into being in 1960 [13].

There are four cultivated species of *Gossypium* Linn., grown for their fibre and also the seed and its by-products. In the world, *G. hirsutum* cotton is predominant with 92-93% area and production, *G*. *barbadense* is grown for nearly 4-5% and the diploid cottons *G. arboreum* and *G.*

The spinnable fibre (lint) is the primary product for growing cotton for textile use. For each kilogram of lint produced, it also results in output of 1.4 to 1.6 kilograms of cottonseed. The estimated recent annual production of cotton fibre in the world is around 25 to 26 million metric tons of lint roughly valued at US\$ 40-42 billion [7]. Cotton is the most important natural fibre used in spinning to produce apparel, home furnishings and industrial products and

As much as 50-55 million tons of cottonseed is produced worldwide annually in recent times valued at US\$ 7-8billion [10]. Cotton has become an important oilseed in the world and can be fed as whole seed to dairy cattle (Ruminant animals) or crushed in oil mills to obtain oil, hulls, meal and linters. The oil is used for human consumption after special refining processes to remove the toxic gossypol. The hulls and meals are good sources of vegetable protein for animal and the linters are used as a chemical cellulose source for manufacturing various personal care products and in high quality paper (used for currency printing in USA and EU) [11]. All these add value to cottonseed at each type of product and processing. Cotton has a significant role in meeting essential needs of clothing, besides food and feed and with a projected 9 billion human population and increase in animal production and the global textile fibre requirements projected at 180 million metric tons, the share of cotton should be increased to 40-50 million metric tons by 2050 [8]. Cotton area in India has increased significantly after the transgenic cotton was introduced in 2002-03 and over 90 per cent of the cotton grown is represented by *Gossypium hirsutum* as *G. hirsutum* x *G. hirsutum* hybrids with Bollgard-II (BG-II) type (Cry1Ac+Cry2Ab) and a small percentage as Bollgard-I (BG-I) with Cry1Ac gene. All the cotton hybrids sold in India are proprietary hybrids of different seed companies with varied parents that are not disclosed due to the proprietary nature of the hybrids and hence it is not

In this chapter, the information pertaining to germplasm history, contents and location of germplasm resource, funding sources, sharing within India, characterization, evaluation and utilization of germplasm, data bases, novel trends and perspectives and conclusions have been

In India, the collection and conservation of plant genetic resources (PGR) of crop species for utilization in crop improvement programmes were initiated with the establishment of the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute in 1905 at Pusa village, Darbhanga District, Bengal (now in Bihar) state. This institute was shifted to New Delhi in 1936 and later in 1947, was renamed the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). The early conservation efforts of PGR involved frequent multiplication and storage of seeds of crops by the breeders in the

*herbaceum* accounted for less than 2 per cent [4, 10].

88 World Cotton Germplasm Resources

represents about 35-40% of all fibres used in textiles.

possible to know the parents / germplasm used.

**2. History of cotton germplasm in India**

presented.

Crop improvement research, including PGR management was greatly strengthened and focused with the establishment of multidisciplinary, multicenter "All India Co-ordinated Crop Improvement Projects" starting with that for maize germplasm set up in 1957. The project had coordinated research centres mostly in SAUs and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes located in important crop growing areas. Presently, there are 40 multi-crop or single crop-based institutes, project directorates and national research centres, 37 coordi‐ nated projects and 31 SAUs. The All India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project (AICCIP) was established in 1967 with headquarters at Coimbatore, while the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) with headquarters at Nagpur was established in 1976 simultaneously with the CICR Regional Station for South zone at Coimbatore (including AICCIP headquarters), while the CICR Regional Station for the north zone at Sirsa (Haryana State) came into existence by annexing the IARI Regional Station at Sirsa in 1984. The germplasm accessions available at all the cotton breeding stations of the state agricultural university centres all over the country were collected by forming a national germplasm advisory committee at CICR and the collections were also augmented by exchange from other countries, by germplasm surveys and by accessing the elite breeding material available from time to time at various SAU cotton breeding stations. By periodical evaluation, duplicate germplasm accessions were eliminated by growing in the fields of the CICR and its regional stations. The germplasm purification was followed by characterization for 76 characters as per Germplasm Index Card, catalogued, data computerized and seeds conserved in medium term and short term cold storage at CICR and long term storage at the NBPGR New Delhi by depositing selfed (self-fertilized) seeds. Working collections were constituted in all the four cultivated species germplasm and made available to Indian institutions for breeders' use in crop improvement. Thus CICR functioned as "The National Gene Bank of Cotton for India".

These projects, ICAR institutes and SAUs maintained and conserved working collections of germplasm of different crops through frequent seed regeneration and storage under ambient conditions. For example, the Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack and Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur conserved rice genetic resources; the "All India Co-ordinated Maize Improvement Project" and the "All India Co-ordinated Wheat Improvement Project", with the headquarters at IARI, maintained maize and wheat germplasm, respectively. The centres of coordinated projects supported these efforts across the country.

At the national level, the ICAR is responsible for research, initial transfer of technology in agriculture and policies related thereto (including PGR management). The ICAR upgraded the Plant Introduction Division, IARI in 1976 to the status of an institute, the National Bureau of Plant Introduction and later, in 1977, renamed it as the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR). The NBPGR has the mandate to manage PGR including collection, introduction, exchange, quarantine, evaluation, conservation and use. Thus, NBPGR, under the umbrella of ICAR, functions as the nodal agency for PGR management and closely collaborates with ICAR institutes and SAUs for PGR management, particularly evaluation, characterization and utilization [13].

The current total area under cotton is estimated as 11.7 million hectares and the output as 6.46 million metric tons of lint (along with estimated 13 million tons of cottonseed) in 2013-2014

> **Area M ha**




**Production MMT**

**Area M ha**

Cotton Germplasm in India — New Trends http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/58622

> **Production MMT**

91

[10]. The trend of change in species composition is indicated in Table 1 and Figure 1.

Total of all 4 cultivated species 4.40 0.39 MMT 7.50. 2.17 11.70. 6.46 *G. hirsutum* (H) 0.133 0.0273 3.15 0.998 10.647 6.266 *G. barbadense* (B) - - 0.025 insignificant 0.001 insignificant *G. arboreum* (A) 2.86 0.253 1.275 0.217 1.17 0.129 *G. herbaceum* (h) 1.408 o.109 0.975 0.130 <0.585 0.0646

**Species 1947-48 1989-90 2013-14**

**Production MMT**

**Area M ha**

**Table 1.** Species composition / contribution in India to cotton area and production

(Adopted from Dr. V. Santhanam, WCRC-5 Mumbai, 2011)

**Figure 1.** The current species composition of cotton and distribution in India

Hybrid cotton (Hybrid cotton era from 1970)All hybrids

*hirsutum x hirsutum* Hybrid cotton with Bt-gene(s)

with Bt-gene(s)

*hirsutum x barbadense* hybrids

#### **2.1. Changing species composition**

In India, cotton is grown under widely varying agro-climatic conditions represented by regions falling 8°-32°N latitude, 70°-80° E longitude, elevation range of 0-950 meters and annual rainfall range of 250-1500 mm. Cotton has been cultivated since time immemorial in India. Cotton growing, types of cotton grown and cotton textiles produced in Indian subcontinent have earned global fame for over 5000 years. Until the 17th century, India was growing only the diploid (2n=26) cultivated cottons (also referred to as *Desi* cottons) *Gossypium arboreum* L. and *G. herbaceum* L. and the area under these cottons was as much as 95% of the total area of 4.4 million hectares of cotton at the time of partition of India in 1947. Although attempts were made from about 1750s to introduce the allo-tetraploid (2n=52) species of *G. hirsutum* L. (American Upland cotton) and *G. barbadense* L. (Egyptian, Pima and Sea Island cottons), the area under the Upland cottons reached only about 2-3 per cent by 1947-48 in the country. Gradual breeding and extension efforts resulted in increase in area under the Upland cotton replacing the *desi* (diploid cultivated) cottons on a large scale by 1970s and after the introduc‐ tion of Bt-transgenic cottons of *G. hirsutum* x *G. hirsutum* hybrids in 2002-03, the species composition in India changed drastically. Egyptian cotton *G. barbadense* cultivars suitable for Indian ecologies especially in South India were released in 1968-70s, but the area coverage was small [10].

From cultivation of purebred varieties of various species, it changed from 1970s after the H x H and H x B and even diploid *herbaceum* x *arboreum* (*desi*) cotton hybrids were released for cultivation and both hybrids and pure bred varieties were grown commercially. After the introduction of Bt-transgenic cottons as H x H and to a small extent as H x B hybrids, significant change occurred marginalizing the cultivation of diploid cultivated species cottons. Cottons grown today represents mostly superior medium and long staple cottons all over the country. The short desi (diploid species) cotton production was affected drastically due to large scale replacement with *hirsutum* x *hirsutum* cotton hybrids with Bt-gene(s). Extra-long staple cotton production also dwindled largely due to replacement with *hirsutum* x *hirsutum* Bt-cotton hybrids with superior medium and long staple, apart from virtual decline in area under 'Suvin', the only ELS *G. barbadense* cultivar available and also decline in the ELS *hirsutum* x *barbadense* F1 hybrids on account of maintenance of seed quality and fibre quality problems especially of the *barbadense* parents. MCU5 cotton of the Upland type with superior long staple also gradually declined due to encroachment of its area by the Bt-cotton hybrids.

The current total area under cotton is estimated as 11.7 million hectares and the output as 6.46 million metric tons of lint (along with estimated 13 million tons of cottonseed) in 2013-2014 [10]. The trend of change in species composition is indicated in Table 1 and Figure 1.


**Table 1.** Species composition / contribution in India to cotton area and production

At the national level, the ICAR is responsible for research, initial transfer of technology in agriculture and policies related thereto (including PGR management). The ICAR upgraded the Plant Introduction Division, IARI in 1976 to the status of an institute, the National Bureau of Plant Introduction and later, in 1977, renamed it as the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR). The NBPGR has the mandate to manage PGR including collection, introduction, exchange, quarantine, evaluation, conservation and use. Thus, NBPGR, under the umbrella of ICAR, functions as the nodal agency for PGR management and closely collaborates with ICAR institutes and SAUs for PGR management, particularly evaluation,

In India, cotton is grown under widely varying agro-climatic conditions represented by regions falling 8°-32°N latitude, 70°-80° E longitude, elevation range of 0-950 meters and annual rainfall range of 250-1500 mm. Cotton has been cultivated since time immemorial in India. Cotton growing, types of cotton grown and cotton textiles produced in Indian subcontinent have earned global fame for over 5000 years. Until the 17th century, India was growing only the diploid (2n=26) cultivated cottons (also referred to as *Desi* cottons) *Gossypium arboreum* L. and *G. herbaceum* L. and the area under these cottons was as much as 95% of the total area of 4.4 million hectares of cotton at the time of partition of India in 1947. Although attempts were made from about 1750s to introduce the allo-tetraploid (2n=52) species of *G. hirsutum* L. (American Upland cotton) and *G. barbadense* L. (Egyptian, Pima and Sea Island cottons), the area under the Upland cottons reached only about 2-3 per cent by 1947-48 in the country. Gradual breeding and extension efforts resulted in increase in area under the Upland cotton replacing the *desi* (diploid cultivated) cottons on a large scale by 1970s and after the introduc‐ tion of Bt-transgenic cottons of *G. hirsutum* x *G. hirsutum* hybrids in 2002-03, the species composition in India changed drastically. Egyptian cotton *G. barbadense* cultivars suitable for Indian ecologies especially in South India were released in 1968-70s, but the area coverage was

From cultivation of purebred varieties of various species, it changed from 1970s after the H x H and H x B and even diploid *herbaceum* x *arboreum* (*desi*) cotton hybrids were released for cultivation and both hybrids and pure bred varieties were grown commercially. After the introduction of Bt-transgenic cottons as H x H and to a small extent as H x B hybrids, significant change occurred marginalizing the cultivation of diploid cultivated species cottons. Cottons grown today represents mostly superior medium and long staple cottons all over the country. The short desi (diploid species) cotton production was affected drastically due to large scale replacement with *hirsutum* x *hirsutum* cotton hybrids with Bt-gene(s). Extra-long staple cotton production also dwindled largely due to replacement with *hirsutum* x *hirsutum* Bt-cotton hybrids with superior medium and long staple, apart from virtual decline in area under 'Suvin', the only ELS *G. barbadense* cultivar available and also decline in the ELS *hirsutum* x *barbadense* F1 hybrids on account of maintenance of seed quality and fibre quality problems especially of the *barbadense* parents. MCU5 cotton of the Upland type with superior long staple

also gradually declined due to encroachment of its area by the Bt-cotton hybrids.

characterization and utilization [13].

90 World Cotton Germplasm Resources

**2.1. Changing species composition**

small [10].

(Adopted from Dr. V. Santhanam, WCRC-5 Mumbai, 2011)

**Figure 1.** The current species composition of cotton and distribution in India

#### **2.2. Germplasm needs for India's cotton improvement**

Germplasm demand depends on various considerations and criteria. Primarily, it depends on the predominant species grown, genetic constitution of the cultivar / hybrid developed for large scale cultivation, the fibre quality requirements of the textile industry and export needs and incidentally various byproduct utility potential. The future attention of the breeders may be more towards the improvement of the *G. hirsutum* cotton because of the changed species composition involving more than 90 per cent area under cultivation of *G. hirsutum* cotton. Some special interest will be shown to the utilization of *G. barbadense* germplasm in cotton improve‐ ment because of the need to develop superior cultivars of *G. barbadense* with extra-long staple coupled with better adaptation to Indian conditions and also in the exploitation of the potential of the *G. hirsutum* x *G. barbadense* F1 commercial hybrids to develop ELS cotton hybrids with high yield potential. Further, the private seed companies holding a major stake in seed business have great role to play in meeting the needs for high quality seeds of superior varieties of the predominant cultivated species preferred by the farmers. The major breeding goals in cotton are based on conventional and changing cropping practices and industry requirements of the 21st century are as follows:

Considerations for newer breeding goals: this is specially for India and elsewhere in the world for the demands of the 21st century including suitability of plant architecture for higher plant densities with high yield per hectare for machine harvesting, tolerance to drought and adverse weather situations related to emerging climate change patterns, resistance to sucking pests, mealy bugs and whitefly induced cotton leaf curl virus disease and reducing the duration of cotton for less water use and fitment into double cropping patterns etc. [4,14,15,10,16].

The details pertaining to all cotton genetic resource holdings and their locations, evaluations

Cotton plant belongs to the family *Malvaceae* and genus *Gossypium* L., which comprises about 50 species, 45 of which are diploid (2n=2x=26) and the remaining 5 being allotetraploid (2n=4x=52) and whose geographical distribution spans the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world [17]. The two 'A' genome diploid and two 'AD' genome allotetraploid species are cultivated for their lint fibre. The four species in cultivation have their botanical and geo‐ graphical races such as (*africanum, acerifolium, wightianum, persicum, and kuljianum under G. herbaceum; races indicum, bengalense, burmanicum, cernuum, sinense, and soudanense under G. arboreum; races latifolium, punctatum, morilli, yucatanense, marie-galante, palmeri and richmondii under G. hirsutum and races barbadense and brasiliense under G. barbadense* as described by Hutchinson, 1951 [3, 17] are available in distinct accessions of germplasm of cotton maintained in gene banks of CICR Nagpur and its regional station Coimbatore and certain other State Agricultural University Centres like UAS Dharwad, GAU Surat, TNAU etc. Intermediary germplasm-genetic stocks and breeding lines developed out of crosses between wild and cultivated species and between cultivated species have been integrated into the maintenance under germplasm for gene banks at CICR and State Agricultural University (SAU) centers and used for crop improvement programmes. The list of *Gossypium* species and those available in

**3. Genetic resources of cotton — Content and location**

and conservation are presented below:

**3.1. Wild species and related stocks**

India is given in Table 2.

**Genome Species of** *Gossypium* **(if available**

A2 *arboreum* L. Cultivation

**'Yes')**

B1 *anomalum* W&P Yes (In C) *populifolium* Mueller B2 *triphyllum* Hochreutiner Yes *cunninghamii* Todaro B3 *capitis viridis* Mauer Yes *pulchellum* Fryxell

**Diploid Species 2n = 2x = 26 Diploid Species 2n = 2x = 26** A1 *herbaceum* L. Cultivation K *costulatum* Todaro

**Genome Species of** *Gossypium* **(if available**

**'Yes')**

Cotton Germplasm in India — New Trends http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/58622 93

Wide adaptation: agronomic and ecological stability including-Areas of cultivation and their agro-climatic conditions, soil fertility, temperature both day and night temperatures, rainfall characteristics (onset, duration, intensity and occurrence characteristics), adaptation and other factors (like adaptation to various abiotic stresses such as late sowings, droughts, excess rainfall at critical phases of crop growth and major weather aberrations).

Response to advanced production technologies: this will include higher fertilizer use, higher planting densities, mechanization of cultivation practices with insect resistant cotton, chemical herbicide use for weed management and other practices like constraints management, manual and machine picking of cotton, double cropping patterns, continuous improvement in yield per hectare).

Resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses: this includes resistance/tolerance to various kinds of pest and disease reactions and abiotic factors causing serious recurring yield losses and adverse effects on fibre quality.

Cotton requirements for the textile industry: the total quantitative demands of national textile consumption of cotton, extra-factory consumption and export needs (including qualitative needs in terms of share of various staple types like short staple, medium staple, superior medium, long staple and extra-long staple and fibre quality parameters consistent with the desired levels for each of above staple categories besides for various spinning systems).

Improving the utility of cottonseeds: important aspects include elimination of gossypol, increased oil content and improved fatty acid profiles of the oil and protein in seed etc., to improve the utility value of seed and its nutritional qualities for food and feed.

Specialty cotton requirements: these are based on considerations for production of organic cotton and naturally colour-linted cottons with appreciable fibre quality parameters for spinning and weaving, although the market requirement is low at less than 1% of the global production of cotton at present.

Considerations for newer breeding goals: this is specially for India and elsewhere in the world for the demands of the 21st century including suitability of plant architecture for higher plant densities with high yield per hectare for machine harvesting, tolerance to drought and adverse weather situations related to emerging climate change patterns, resistance to sucking pests, mealy bugs and whitefly induced cotton leaf curl virus disease and reducing the duration of cotton for less water use and fitment into double cropping patterns etc. [4,14,15,10,16].
