Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
Chemical analyses were carried out on the three main commercial varieties in the Sudan and some wild species of Gossypium. A genome-specific pattern was not found for either the oil content, fatty acids, amino acids or seed index. G. sturtianum differed significantly from the other species in oil content with a substantial amount of unsaturated fatty acids and of the essential amino acids. A breeding programme has been started to incorporate such desirable characters into the commercial varieties.