Molecular Soil Biology 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 114-125 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/msb 114 Feature Review Open Access Cultivation of Oil-Producing Cotton Varieties Xiaojing Yang, Tianze Zhang Modern Agriculture Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: tianze.zhang@cuixi.org Molecular Soil Biology, 2025, Vol.16, No.3 doi: 10.5376/msb.2025.16.0012 Received: 15 Apr., 2025 Accepted: 20 May, 2025 Published: 06 Jun., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Yang and Zhang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Yang X.J., and Zhang T.Z., 2025, Cultivation of oil-producing cotton varieties, Molecular Soil Biology, 16(3): 116-127 (doi: 10.5376/msb.2025.16.0012) Abstract The main purpose of this study is to figure out how to make cottonseeds contain more oil and better oil quality. We started from several aspects, such as genetic improvement, molecular technology, field management and environmental factors. The study found that if we make full use of the genetic differences of different cotton varieties, combined with traditional breeding, gene markers and genetic engineering technology, we can effectively increase the content of cottonseed oil and make the fatty acid composition of the oil more reasonable. The management method in the field is also critical. For example, how much water is irrigated, how much fertilizer is applied, and how dense the cotton is planted, all of which will affect the yield of cottonseed and the quality of oil. We also found that if some specific genes (such as GhSWEET42) are expressed more, the cottonseed can grow larger and contain more oil. This is very helpful for future genetic breeding. The interaction between the environment and genes will also affect the stability and genetic effect of oil. This study provides theoretical support and practical methods for the future breeding of high-oil cotton varieties and the realization of large-scale production. Keywords Cotton breeding; Cottonseed oil; Molecular biology; Cultivation management; Genetic engineering 1 Introduction Oil cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL.) can produce both fiber and oil, and is one of the most valuable crops in the world. Its cotton fiber is mainly used in the textile industry, while cotton seeds can be used to produce edible oil and protein, making it a common source of vegetable oil (Wu et al., 2022). Nowadays, people are paying more and more attention to plant-based oils and fats, and they also pay more attention to green agriculture. Therefore, crops such as oil cotton that can produce both oil and fiber are becoming more and more popular (Yang et al., 2017; Wu et al., 2022). Cotton is grown in many parts of the world, and South Asia, Africa, East Asia, and the Americas are the main producing areas. Cotton plays an important role in the economies of many countries. For example, in Côte d'Ivoire, cotton cultivation accounts for 1.7% of the country's GDP, 7% of exports are cotton, and it is also particularly critical to farmers' income (Kouakou et al., 2024). However, cotton production and oil production in some places have not increased much, especially in developing countries. This may be due to insufficient water resources, inadequate technology promotion, and the impact of climate change (Fok et al., 1999; Iqbal et al., 2024; Kouakou et al., 2024). In recent years, the global demand for vegetable oil has been growing. This has also prompted researchers to study cotton varieties with high yields and high oil content, as well as better planting methods (Yang et al., 2017; Wu et al., 2022). Cotton, a crop that can provide both fiber and oil, is particularly suitable for improving land utilization, helping farmers increase their income, and is also beneficial to sustainable agricultural development (Fok et al., 1999; Wu et al., 2022). However, the natural conditions in different regions vary greatly, and current planting techniques cannot be used everywhere. Especially in areas with water shortages and where farmers are mainly smallholders, a new planting method with low input, high returns, and strong resistance is needed (Fok et al., 1999; Iqbal et al., 2024). This study aims to find out how oil cotton is planted in different regions and how well it is planted. We have reviewed many new field trials and management methods, such as how to water, how much fertilizer to apply, how dense to plant cotton, when to plant, and which new varieties are more effective. We have analyzed and
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