Genetic engineering has become a more important strategy for introducing desired genes into cotton germplasms. However, such introduced genes must not only be environmentally friendly but also economical. Means to accomplish these goals include the use of tissue-specific and maternally-inherited promoters for gene expression. A system for evaluating fiber-specific gene introduction and incorporation has been suggested utilizing biolistic bombardment of multi-cellular fibers which develop during ovule culture in media without hormones. In addition, chloroplast promoter-driven gene expression is being investigated with the same system. Multicellular fiber also has been used as a model system to study transgene expression of fiber-specific genes within a short period of time.