Wild species of Gossypium are the reservoir of many useful genes governing different economic traits including lint yield, fibre quality and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. In view of narrow genetic base of cultivated cotton, the available wild species, races of cultivated species and synthetic polyploids of Gossypium are conserved and utilized in introgression breeding to broaden the genetic base and to create newer genetic variations for various traits of interest.

A total of 24 wild species, 15 races of cultivated species and more than 45 synthetic polyploids are conserved in the ‘wild species garden’ at ICAR-CICR, Nagpur. The Gossypium species G.anomalum, G. triphyllum, G. capitis viridis, G. thuberi, G. armourianum, G. davidsonii, G. raimondii, G. trilobum, G. stocksii, G. somalense, G. longicalyx, G.nelsonii, and G. barbasonum received from other sources were confirmed through morphological characterization. More than 1000 new crosses were attempted exploring the wild species namely G. longicalyx, G. somalense, G. anomalum, G. capitis viridis, G. australe, G. thurberi, G. raimondii, G. barbosanum, G. triphyllum, G. klotzchianum, and G. mexicanum. Two tetraploid wild species viz., G. mustelinium and G. ekmanianum were added to the existing collection. The available Gossypium species and derivatives namely G. aridum, G. armourianum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum, G. hirsutum x G. triphyllum and G. hirsutum unconfirmed species are conserved and have been morphologically and cytologically characterized at ICAR-CICR, Regional Station, Coimbatore. CLCuV immune accessions namely GVS 8 and GVS 9 were evaluated at ICAR-CICR. Regional Station. Sirsa. A total of 2025 new crosses were attempted using the cultivars and races of Gossypium and wild species. More than 450 introgressed derivatives(G. arboreum and G. hirsutum) and 50 colour cotton entries were evaluated at Nagpur for yield, fibre traits, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance.