Two short staple variety trials were held in Graham county, one toward the west end of the valley (Eden), and one in the center of the valley (Thatcher), both with 15 varieties. Delta Pine 90 was the highest yielding variety at both locations, with yields of 1,386 pounds of lint per acre at Thatcher and 1,123 pounds at Eden. Two new varieties, Northrup King 111 and BR 110, show some promise in the area, with yields close to that of Delta Pine 90. Lint quality and grade are listed for each variety.

Eleven varieties of short staple cotton, containing four varieties of Acala 1517 (including two new releases from New Mexico State University) were grown near the town of Cochise, which is at an elevation of 4,180 feet and has an average growing season of 232 days. Northrup King's KC 380 (the same as the experimental variety 2019) was the high yielder for the second year in a row, with 954.6 pounds of lint per acre. One of the new Acala' s, 1517-77BR was second in yield, with 936.5 pounds per acre. With the current premium structure, 1517-77BR would produce about $50 more gross farm income per acre than KC 380.

The check variety, Delta Pine 90, produced more than any of the new varieties in this unreplicated strip test. However, three new varieties produced yields within 10 % of the Delta Pine 90 yields; they were BR 110, Northrup King 111 and Germains GC 365.

Four short staple variety trials were harvested in Greenlee county in 1987, covering long season varieties, early maturing varieties, acala varieties and a regional variety trial which was duplicated in Cochise county. Germains GC 510 and Delta Pine 90 yielded equally with acala 1517-75 in the long season trial. Delta Pine 20 out-yielded acala 1517-SR1 in the trial of earlier maturing varieties. An experimental acala, B 510, out-yielded the other acalas in the trial, but required more time to produce the yield. Wider experience with this new acala and others in the trials will be necessary before recommendations can be made. The better yielding varieties produced more than two bales of lint this season.

A short season feasibility study, using early maturing Pinta genotypes was conducted for a second season. Four early maturing genotypes, a short season check (P62) and a full season check variety (PS-7) were evaluated in replicated tests under short season and full season regimes. In both 1993 and 1994, most genotypes reached cutout around August 4, with 2759 accumulated heat units. All genotypes were earlier maturing than PS-7, as indicated by plant growth measurements and by sequential harvests. In 1994, the four early maturing experimental genotypes produced yields equal to or slightly better than the longer season cultivar PS-7. No differences in yield occurred between the short season and standard practice management systems in either year. A fiber improvement project was initiated in 1989 with the primary goals of increasing the fiber length and strength potential of Pima cotton. In 1989 the early maturing, short statured Pima strain P62 was crossed to Giza 45 and Giza 70 to transfer the fiber strength of those varieties into a heat tolerant, earlier maturing, productive Pima background. Likewise, P62 was crossed to the Sea Island cultivar St. Vincent V-135 with the objective of transferring the latter cultivar's long fiber length into an agronomic Pima background. Two resulting lines, one possessing high fiber strength and the other possessing high fiber length are planned for release in 1995-96.

Ten long staple varieties (including two Pima experimental lines) were tested in a replicated small plot trial on the Safford Agricultural Center in Graham county at an elevation of 2950 feet. Even though the total number of heat units received during the season was nearly as high as the previous year, the average yield was nearly 300 pounds per acre lower. Olvey and Associates OA 304 was the highest yielding variety with a yield of 776 pounds per acre of lint and only two varieties broke the bale and a half mark. Yield and other agronomic data as well as fiber quality data are contained in this paper.

Nine Pima varieties and experimental strains were grown in a replicated trial at the Maricopa Agricultural Center. Lint yield, boll size, lint percent, plant population and fiber property data are presented in this report.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of five experimental lines (P73, P75, P76, P80, and P81) with two commercial varieties ('Pima S-6' and 'Pima S-79 of Pima cotton. All seven strains were grown in replicated strip tests at four locations across the Pima belt in 1994. While none of the experimental lines produced significantly more lint than the best Pima variety at any site, some of them possess traits that are valuable to Pima cotton breeders. P73 has long and strong fiber. P76 is a high yielding, early maturing line that produces long and strong fiber. P80's lint yields are similar to Pima S-7, but it is significantly earlier.

Sixteen long staple varieties were tested in a replicated small plot trial on the Safford Agricultural Center in Graham county at an elevation of 2950 feet. The highest yielding variety in 1997 was OA 325 with a yield of 746 pounds of lint per acre. It was followed by four other Olvey varieties yielding over 700 pounds per acre. 1997 was not a good Pima cotton year in this valley, weather problems early and insect problems late in the season both took their toll. Yields were more than 300 pounds lower than the previous year and 100 pounds less than in 1995. Yield and other agronomic data as well as fiber quality data are contained in this paper.

Eighteen Pima varieties were grown in a replicated trial at the Maricopa Agricultural Center as part of the national cotton variety testing program. Lint yield, boll size, lint percent, plant population and fiber property data are presented in this report.