Cotton is one of the world's most important commercial crops, playing a vital role in global agriculture and the economy. In India, it sustains millions of livelihoods and significantly contributes to the nation's economic growth. While best known for its fiber, cotton is an incredibly versatile crop with a wide array of applications, ranging from small-scale artisans to large textile mills.

Beyond its fiber, every part of the cotton plant holds value, enabling farmers to optimize its potential and derive multiple benefits from its various uses.

Cotton Fiber and Its Uses

There is a process by to cotton fiber can be extracted from cotton balls. The process of ginning separates lint from the seed. After this, cotton fiber is extracted. Quality determines the value of cotton fiber in the market. Long-staple fibers are used in premium textiles. Medium and short-staple fibers are used for general clothing, denim, towels, and other fabric-based products. The absorbent property of cotton fiber makes it useful in the mattress and surgical industries.

Surgical Cotton: Various special varieties of cotton are used to make surgical cotton or absorbent cotton. This type of fiber is short and has low ash content. As the name suggests this variety of cotton possesses high absorbency which makes it ideal for medical applications.

Cottonseed and its uses

Nearly two-thirds of the harvested cotton remains in the form of seeds, after ginning. Cottonseed is an excellent by-product that has multiple commercial applications. It is used for the extraction of edible oil, animal feed, and sometimes as a protein supplement.

Cottonseed Oil: Cottonseed oil is healthy oil extracted from seeds. The fat content is lesser in this oil compared with palm oil. The linoleic acid content is higher. This higher content of acid makes it more popular for cooking during the frying of snacks such as potato chips. Cottonseed oil forms the second most consumed oil in the globe after soybean oil. In India, it comes third. All these indicate how there is growth in the oil market. This gives farmers extra income.

Animal Feed: After extracting oil from the seed the remainder is known as cottonseed meal. This meal is a feed that is very rich in protein and fed to cattle, sheep, and goats. Cottonseed meal contains nutrients that will enhance animal health and increase milk production. However, the content of gossypol in cotton there is content found known as gossypol. It is a factor that limits its usage for non-ruminant animals. Advances are still going on in gossypol cotton varieties to make cottonseed meals safer to consume by many animals.

Cotton as a Human Protein Source

India predominately has people who only consume a vegetarian diet. In a vegetarian diet, there is a lack of vegetarian sources which results in a protein deficiency in the diet of many people. Cottonseed can be an alternative source of protein for human consumption after processing, like soybean products.

For human safe consumption, there is content that needs to be removed such as gossypol. Scientists have been working on breeding cotton varieties with low gossypol content. These varieties will open the door for cottonseed-based food products in the future.

Cotton stalks are an unexploited resource

Cotton is when harvested then stalks are often discarded or burned. These stalks can be put to good use. In rural areas, they are used as roofing materials for thatched huts. In urban and industrial sectors they can also be used for many purposes. These stalks are processed into particle boards, which are used for furniture, wall paneling, and other construction purposes.

The cotton stalks contain holocellulose content which is about 69%, and the lignin content is about 27%. These substance content are similar to hardwood tree material for the production of plywood. These cotton stalks can be used as a material for laminated particle boards in India.

Fuel and Energy Production

In the present day too, most rural households still use traditional fuels for cooking purposes. These cotton stalks can be one alternative for these fuels. These stalks can be processed into biomass briquettes which burn very effectively. It emits less smoke compared to that of typical firewood. With government schemes, such as PM-Urja, farmers may see a new way to manage cotton stalks for renewable energy production.

Gossypol: A Natural Defense Mechanism

Gossypol is a naturally occurring compound in cotton that protects the plant from pests like the pink bollworm and American bollworm. The presence of this compound in cottonseed limits its use in some industries. Scientists are developing methods to reduce the gossypol content in seeds while maintaining it in other parts of the plant for pest resistance. Gossypol has also been studied for potential medicinal uses. The uses include as a male contraceptive and in treatment against diseases like cancer and psoriasis.  The clinical trial is still ongoing as the compound holds significant promise for the future.

Cotton is a versatile crop that extends beyond fiber, with its seeds and stalks offering various industrial uses. Ongoing research and advanced processing technologies enhance its potential. Sustainable farming practices and value-added opportunities can improve farmers' livelihoods while benefiting the economy and environment. Cotton's significance in agriculture and industry will continue to grow, especially for Indian farmers.