Potential for improving cottonseed quality by genetic and agronomic practices.

Potential utilization of cottonseeds as edible food sources accentuated the need for research on their composition. Studies included evaluation of cottonseed composition; e.g., seed grade, protein, amino acids free fatty acids, oil, fatty acids, cyclopropenoid fatty acids, total gossypol, differential settling as an indicator of potential performance of cottonseed in the liquid cyclone process, and extractability of nonstorage and storage proteins and their gel electrophoretic properties. These extended studies were used to develop a data base on composition of various cottonseed cultivars grown in different locations of Texas that resemble environmentally most of the regions of the United States cotton belt. Tests showed that most constituents of cottonseed vary; statistically significant variables include cultivar, location, and their interaction term, cultivar x location. These data suggest that breeding and agronomic practices could be used to alter cottonseed composition. Although protein quantity of cottonseed from various cultivars differ and can be influenced by agronomic practices, this variability is not reflected in quality of cottonseed protein as detected by gel electrophoretic techniques. Analyses showed that both genetic and agronomic factors influenced formation of edible flour with high protein and low free gossypol content.