La culture du coton en région désertique

Abstract

Modern cotton constitutes a major economic and environmental issue. Its long history, involving four species domesticated on three continents at different times, is an eloquent example of diffusion dynamics and integration of novelty. The analysis of archaeological discoveries—mainly textile fragments and seeds—and ancient texts highlights growing conditions that are far from our current representations, showing that cotton can be a sustainable crop.

Keywords

• cotton
• agriculture
• globalization
• agronomy
• exchanges
• transition