A cotton germplasm collection effort was conducted during September, 1988. The purpose of the collection was to obtain endemic and adapted cotton germplasm threatened by changes in cultural practices in response to boll weevil invasion and other economic factors in the Northeast area of Brazil. The area collected involved portions of the states of Bahia, Ceara, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Piaui, and Rio Grande do Norte.

The traditional culture of cotton in the Serido District and adjoining areas of Brazil involves relatively small, low input plots of perennial plants of the Marie Galante landrace, commonly known as Moco cotton. In those areas now invaded by the boll weevil there is a definite negative influence on this type of culture, and many plots are being abandoned. The Moco cottons are particularly rich in genetic diversity because no selection pressure has been exerted on them. This collection effort was particularly timely in preventing the loss of that diversity.

Brazil has a wild endemic tetraploid cotton species (G. mustelinum) that is sparsely scattered in the Northeast. Previously reported sites (Pickersgill et al., Biotropica 7:42-54, 1975) of this species were located and the populations were found to be in as good or better condition as reported in 1975. One new site was found in northern Bahia.

Seed of 97 accessions of G. hirsutum, nine G. mus telinum, and two G. barbadense were collected. The material collected will conserve much of the genetic diversity of the adapted and endemic Gossypium of the area surveyed. This diversity will be available to the cotton researchers of the world through the US National Collection of Gossypium Germplasm.