Fermín Tangüis (March 29, 1851 - August 24, 1930), was a Puerto Rican businessman, agriculturist and scientist who developed the seed that would eventually produce the Tanguis cotton in Peru and save that nation's cotton industry.

Sugar and cotton were the two most important agricultural products of Peru in the 19th century. In 1901, Peru's cotton industry suffered because of a fungus plague caused by a plant disease known in some places as "cotton wilt". Many of the agriculturists who dedicated themselves to the cultivation of cotton were ruined and the cotton industry, in general, was in crisis.

In 1901 Tangüis began to study some species of the plant that were affected by the disease to a lesser extent and experimented in germination with the seeds of various cotton plants. In 1911, after 10 years of experimenting and failures, Tangüis was able to develop a seed which produced a superior cotton plant resistant to the disease. The cotton grown in Peru (Egyptian cotton) before the fungus plague grew only once a year; the Tangüis cotton grows six times a year. This type of fiber showed better resistance and performance than other fibers.

Tangüis shared his new seeds with the other cotton growers, who named the plant which the seeds produced "Tangüis Cotton". It is highly regarded worldwide and is listed on the Cotton Exchange of Liverpool in the United Kingdom.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org