Challenges and Opportunities for in situ Maintenance of the Native Brazilian Cotton Gossypium mustelinum Miers

The native Brazilian cotton Gossypium mustelinum has never been planted. It is tetraploid and may cross with cultivated cotton. Endemic to Northeast Brazil, it was known only grow in semi-arid areas, but expeditions 2011, 2016, 2018 localized plants preservation areas on the coast of Brazil (in States Paraiba Pernambuco), as predicted before by niche simulations. New climatic modeling shows that new populations can still be found Pernambuco area, despite lack herbarium germplasm bank information. Historical data show preserved are regions where sympatry not occurred last 47 years. Gene flow unlikely a threat, communication foster significantly situ preservation.