Egyptian cotton: harnessing genetic diversity, molecular tools, fiber anatomy, and innovation for a climate-smart future
Egyptian cotton, derived primarily from Gossypium barbadense L., has shaped the country’s agricultural economy and international reputation for nearly two centuries. Among these, the Giza varieties—renowned for their exceptional fiber length, fineness, and strength—have garnered global recognition and made substantial contributions to export revenues and rural livelihoods. This review systematically analyzes more than 120 scientific publications from the past 30 years. It synthesizes research advances in Egypt, focusing on germplasm resources, fiber anatomical characteristics, variety improvement, and the integration of molecular and biotechnological tools. Progress in molecular markers, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) is highlighted for its role in dissecting traits related to fiber quality and stress tolerance. Experimental transformation studies and functional genomics have provided proof-of-concept for genes involved in insect resistance and fiber development. At the same time, genome editing—particularly clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) systems—represents an emerging frontier for precise trait improvement in G. barbadense. Molecular markers have been used to assess genetic diversity within Egyptian cotton germplasm, enabling the development of unique varietal fingerprints and guiding breeding programs to improve yield, quality, and stress resilience. Techniques such as QTL mapping and GWAS facilitate the identification of genomic regions underlying key traits, thereby establishing a foundation for marker-assisted selection. Specific Egyptian varieties—including Giza 94 (a heat-tolerant variety), Giza 95 (a drought-tolerant variety), and Giza 90/Giza 97 (salinity-tolerant varieties)—have demonstrated measurable stress resilience in controlled and field trials. However, formal release designations for these traits remain lacking. Concurrently, functional genomics approaches have enabled the characterization of genes involved in fiber development in Egyptian cotton. Furthermore, biotechnological innovations—including experimental Bt-transformation and the emerging precision of CRISPR/Cas genome editing—offer promising pathways to introduce adaptive traits more efficiently.