Gossypium raimondii is thought to be a progenitor of the D sub-genome of commercially grown cotton varieties (Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium barbadense, which are due to their complex genome structure difficult to sequence). Cotton is one of the world's most important economically grown crops, the fibers it produces are used for the production of threads and fabrics. An estimated 5% of the available arable land worldwide is dedicated to growing cotton. Furthermore it is a valuable model species to study cell elongation and cell wall production.

Publication:
The draft genome of a diploid cotton Gossypium raimondii.