China-led research team sequences cotton genome

A joint biological research team led by Chinese scientists has completed genome sequencing of cultivated upland cotton, a new breakthrough in cotton genome studies.

The research sequenced and assembled the genome (AtDt) of gossypium hirsutum, an important fiber crop cultivated worldwide, providing insights into the genomic evolution of the cotton, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) said on Saturday.

The results will not only support multiple areas of cotton study but also speed up seed selection, said Li Fuguang, one of the researchers.

The research was completed with the combined effort of scientists from several organizations, including Peking University, BGI-Shenzhen, Wuhan University and Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Endi