Agronomic Strategies for Sustainable Cotton Production: A Systematic Literature Review

Cotton, with a cultivated area of 31.92 × 106 ha−1 across 80 countries and an estimated annual turnover of USD 5.68 billion, is the world’s leading natural textile fiber. However, many cotton-producing countries have neglected to improve production practices, adversely affecting the environment and society. A systematic review of the sustainable cotton cultivation literature was performed for the first time to identify and suggest context-specific agricultural strategies that can be applied within different agroecosystems. The key aspects include (1) inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal species such as Gigaspora margarita, Funneliformis mosseae, and Acaulospora scrobiculata to enhance root exploration, biomass, and nutrient uptake; (2) using grass, legume, and brassica cover crops as a valid alternative to monoculture and fallow crop rotations to reduce resource depletion and increase the sustainability of cotton production; (3) adopting drip and mulched drip irrigation systems over traditional furrow and sprinkler systems for water conservation; (4) exploring the feasibility of prematurely terminating irrigation in humid subtropical and Mediterranean climates as an alternative to chemical defoliation without affecting cotton yield. This paper, which describes various farming practices adopted in different climates, provides farmers a guide for eco-friendly cotton agronomic management without sacrificing productivity.