Cotton's Secret Stash: The Day-Neutral Landraces You've Never Heard Of

Deep in Texas, there's a treasure trove of cotton types. Over 2, 500 of them sit in storage. Most need short days to grow. But some don't care about the daylight. These are the day-neutral landraces. Scientists found 186 of these unique types. They've been growing them for years to keep them diverse. Now, the big question: how good are these day-neutral landraces? Scientists put them to the test. They compared them to the best cotton types out there. They grew them with and without extra water. The results? Day-neutral landraces didn't win. But they didn't lose by much. Some even did well in different water conditions. This is exciting news. It means these landraces could help breed better cotton.So, why haven't we used these landraces before? One reason is their daylight needs. Another is the lack of data. This study changes that. It gives us a good look at what these landraces can do. This could help farmers and scientists in the future. But let's think critically. These landraces aren't perfect. They didn't beat the best cotton types. But they didn't fall far behind either. This is a good start. It shows potential. It's a step in the right direction.