The present invention relates to the field of plant molecular biology, more particularly cotton WRINKLED 1-like (WREL) genes. More specifically, the present invention relates to cotton WRIL genes whose products act as transcription factors of genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis. The present invention also relates to methods of increasing cotton fiber length in cotton. In one embodiment, the methods involve modulating the level of activity of an enzyme involved in a fatty acid biosynthesis in the host cotton cell and/or culturing the host cotton cell. In another embodiment, the methods involve the manipulation of transcription factors which can regulate an enzyme involved in fatty acid biosynthesis.
