Seven New Mexico acala varieties and one non-acala short staple variety were evaluated for yield and other agronomic variables. 1517-88 produced the most seed cotton but HS 46, the non-acala produced slightly more lint. Both varieties yielded slightly less than three bales of lint per acre. Yields of most of the varieties in the trial were 100 to 200 pounds less than in the previous year. It is felt that the yield reductions were probably more due to lack of heat units during the growing season than the heat spell in June.

Fourteen short staple varieties were evaluated in Greenlee county in 1990 in two separate trials. Average yields were higher in 1990 than in 1989 in both locations. The highest yielding variety in the acala trial was a new variety from California, C-37, with a yield of 1271 pounds of lint per acre. The highest yielding delta variety in the trials was DP 20 with a yield of 1116 pounds of lint per acre.

Forty four short staple varieties and Pima S-6 were grown in a replicated trial on the Safford Agricultural Center in Graham county. Most of the varieties were commercially available in the cotton belt, however, a few experimental varieties from the New Mexico acalas, ChemBred and from Delta Pines were included. Seventeen varieties produced more than 4000 pounds of seed cotton per acre with the top variety, BR 110, yielding 4921 pounds per acre. The second variety, HS Sal 10, is a new variety developed by Bill Salmons. 1990 contained some record breaking high temperatures in the month of June which were detrimental to yields in other parts of the state. In this area, this heat spell was not as devastating and in some respects this year was a better cotton year than even 1989.

High Volume Instrument (HVI) classing of eighteen cotton varieties grown at several elevations in southeastern Arizona are compared by location in this paper. Data presented herein would indicate that elevation does not affect fiber length nor strength, these factors are more a function of variety and management. Micronaire values were seen to be lower at the higher elevations and this was felt to be a function of lower maturity level because of reduced growing season coupled with production of fine fibered New Mexico acalas. This report also contains HVI values on lint from 47 varieties of short staple cotton grown on the Safford Agricultural Center during the 1989 season.

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Weather played a major part in the production of cotton in the Safford valley in 1991. A cool spring and early summer slowed the development of cotton and gave an advantage to varieties that could produce quickly in the warm late summer months. Three Stoneville varieties came to the top of the test with Stoneville 506 producing the highest yield of over 4000 pounds of seed cotton per acre. The New Mexico acalas, 1517-91 and 1517-88 also produced well, and depending on the premium, could produce more income per acre than the top varieties. Fifteen varieties were tested at this site and all produced over 2 bales per acre.

Forty one short staple varieties and Pima S-6 were grown in a replicated field trial on the Safford Agricultural Center in Graham county. Most of the varieties were commercially available in the cotton belt, however, a few experimental varieties from the New Mexico acalas, ChemBred and from Delta Pines were included. Yields were 15 to 30% lower than the yields in this trial in 1990, with only one variety producing more than 4000 pounds of seed cotton per acre. The top variety was CB (ChemBred) 407 with a yield of 4177 pounds per acre. HS Sal 10, which was number two last year, retained that position in 1991. Newcomers to the top ten were: S1001, HS 46, CBX 1210, DP 5690, STV 506 and DP 5415. Heat unit data from the past couple of years are given in this report along with the average heat unit accumulation.

Three new California acala varieties are evaluated in this field trial along with nine New Mexico acalas. The highest yielding variety was New Mexico's 1517-88 with a yield of 2.8 bales per acre. California's MAXXA came in number 3, but not very far behind, yieldwise. Nazas 77, a rust resistant variety from Mexico,was evaluated in a second trial at this same location. Rust was not a problem at this site in 1991 so its rust- resistance could not be evaluated, but it yielded within 5% of the yield of 1517-88.

Short staple variety trials have been conducted for three years on the demonstration farm, at the Maricopa Agricultural Center. Twenty varieties, received from various seed companies, were entered into the test in 1989, 19 varieties in 1990, and 10 varieties in 1991. Yields ranged from 3353 to 4679 lbs. seedcotton/acre in 1989, 829 to 1428 lbs. lint/acre in 1990 and 1099 to 1246 lbs. lint/acre in 1991. Results form the statistical analysis showed significant differences among varieties for all three years. Differences among varieties in 1989 showed no clear trends with respect to maturity types. In 1990, those varieties that were medium to early season maturity types yielded higher than full season maturity types. The results in 1991 showed medium maturity types yielding in the highest ranking of the test without exception, while the performance of the full season maturity types was mixed. An additional test with narrow row spacing (30 inches) was included in 1991 with 5 varieties. Yields ranged from 947 to 1117 lbs. lint/acre. No significant differences were detected among varieties.

Short staple variety trials were conducted for four years at Prechel Farms near Coolidge Az. Six varieties were included in 1988, twelve in 1989, eight in 1990, and eight in 1991. Results from the statistical analysis showed significant differences among varieties in each of the four tests. Lint yields ranged from 908 to 1313 lbs. lint acre⁻¹ in 1988, 2844 to 4827 lbs. seedcotton acre⁻¹ in 1989, 695 to 1059 lbs. lint acre⁻¹ in 1990, and 1065 to 1286 lbs. lint acre⁻¹ in 1991. Those varieties that were medium to short- season maturity types yielded higher than long season maturity types in the 1988 and 1990 seasons. The reverse was true in the 1989 season and results were mixed in 1991.