Twenty 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 this study was HA 195 with a yield of 1419 pounds of lint per acre. This interspecific hybrid was the highest yielding variety in the 2001 study also (1). DP 340, one of Olvey’s varieties, was the highest yielding non-hybrid variety in the study; it yielded over 1200 pounds of lint per acre. Yield and other agronomic data as well as fiber quality data are contained in this paper along with estimated values of the lint.

Each year the University of Arizona conducts variety trials across the state to evaluate the performance of Upland cotton varieties. These tests provide unbiased data on the performance of varieties when tested side-by-side under typical production practices. In 2003, a total of 11 trials were planted. Two in the Yuma region (Yuma County), two in the western region (La Paz and Mohave counties), four in the central region (Maricopa and Pinal counties), one in the southern region (Pima county), and two in the eastern region (Graham, Greenlee, and Cochise counties). We tested eight to fourteen commercially available varieties at each test site. This article presents the results of the 2003 variety tests conducted at each location.

Upland cotton advanced strains and commercial check varieties were evaluated in replicated field studies at three locations in 2003. The test sites include Safford, AZ, Maricopa, AZ, and Yuma, AZ. Seven seed companies submitted a maximum of ten advanced strains entries per location. Three commercial check varieties were used at the Safford and Yuma sites, and included ST4892BR, DP449BR, and DP565. Two commercial check varieties were used at the Maricopa site and included ST4892BR and DP449BR. Data collected included vigor and relative maturity ratings, yield, and fiber quality. The research is conducted in order to develop public unbiased performance data of genetic materials that have moved to the advanced stages of testing and are being considered for commercial release. The data has historically been used to add to seed company databases and assist with commercial release decisions.

Eight Acala varieties from New Mexico(4), California(3) and Arizona(1) along with thirteen upland varieties of interest to the area 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 this study was DP 555BR with a yield of 2203 pounds of lint per acre, but FM991BR produced the highest gross revenue per acre at $1527 per acre. Sierra, a new Acala variety from California, was the highest yielding Acala with a lint yield of 1872 pounds per acre and a gross revenue of $1324 per acre. The average lint yield was 500 pounds per acre higher that the 2002 season indicating that 2003 was an above average cotton growing year and that the heat units per day in the week following planting were above the threshold. In addition to the yield , several other agronomic variables were measured. These included plant height, total nodes, and boll weights. From plant height and total nodes the height to node ratios were calculated. Differences were seen between these variables by variety but the most notable point was that the plants were robust in their growth habit and fruiting forms were heavier than the previous year. HVI fiber quality data were reported and estimated values (in cents per pound of lint) were calculated. The HVI data showed an average fiber length of 1.13 inches, with only one variety producing a less than 1.10, and seven varieties having fiber of 1.15 inches or longer. A New Mexico experimental variety had the longest fiber at 1.18 inches. The average fiber strength was 32.1 grams per tex and the same NM experimental produced the strongest fiber. In general, all of the varieties included in this study had very good fiber.

A field trial was established during the 2003 growing season as part of the statewide Upland Cotton Variety Testing Program. This trial was located in Thatcher with Dennis Layton Farms as the cooperator. The location was one of eleven around the state. A total of twelve varieties were entered from six cooperating seed companies. Varieties included DP655BR, DP555BR, DP449BR, and DP5690R from Delta and Pine Land Company; FM989BR, FM991R, and FM991BR from Fiber Max; ST5303R and ST5599BR from Stoneville; Riata from CPCSD; AG3601 from Arizona Cotton Growers Association; and SCX-7 from Salcot. The twelve varieties were planted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Individual plots consisted of 4, 38” rows extending the full length of the irrigation run (1250 ft.). Plant measurements were collected throughout the season to evaluate growth and development characteristics of each variety. Yield and fiber quality data was collected at the end of the season by harvesting and weighing each individual experimental unit. Sub-samples were collected for fiber quality analysis. Percent emergence data indicated differences in seedling vigor and stand establishment. Percent emergence ranged from a high of nearly 90% (Fiber Max FM989BR) to less than 50% (Delta and Pine DP555BR). Even with the low percent emergence for DP555BR an adequate stand was achieved for each variety and did not significantly impact final yield. Significant differences were observed in final lint yields with Fiber Max FM991BR producing the highest yield at 1690 lbs. lint per acre and Fiber Max FM989BR producing the lowest yield at 1292 lbs. lint per acre, a difference of approximately 400 lbs. Delta and Pine DP655BR has been the standard variety planted in the valley for several years. The only variety producing more lint than DP655BR was FM991BR. Lint value calculated using premium/discounts for fiber quality resulted in FM991BR with the highest value at $952/acre. All varieties had overall premiums except for AG3601which was discounted due to high fiber micronaire. Results from this evaluation indicate that FM991BR appears to be an additional variety from which growers have to choose that has the potential to perform very well in the Upper Gila River valley.

This study is a continuation of the variety trials that have been grown in the Duncan/Virden area over many years to supply yield and revenue data on premium cotton varieties for local growers. In recent years, the introduction of herbicide resistant cultivars has been particularly interesting to help clean up many weedy fields. The premium quality New Mexico Acala varieties do not, at this time, have herbicide resistance traits and have struggled to produce high enough yields to compete with the lower quality varieties that are available. Fifteen cotton varieties were tested including two 1517 varieties from New Mexico, Sierra, the newest Roundup-Ready from CPCSD, Salcot Sacala, a new acala from Arizona, and the AZ Cotton Growers variety. The rest of the entries were Roundup-Ready short to mid season varieties from Delta Pine, Stoneville, FiberMax and Paymaster. The highest yielding variety in the trial was Riata, a Roundup Ready Acala from CPCSD, with a yield of 1255 pounds of lint per acre. Sierra, ST 5599RR, ST 5303R and 1517- 99 produced around 100 pounds less lint per acre than Riata but the yields were not statistically different. Plant heights, first fruiting branches (FFB), total nodes and boll weights were measured and height to node ratios were calculated. Many differences were seen between varieties with all of these variables. The values of the variables defining the characteristics of the varieties. HVI data were obtained for fiber qualities of the lint of each variety. This data was then used to determine the value of the lint and then estimate the gross revenue produced by each variety. The highest lint value (cents per pound) was produced by 1517- 99 with 1517-95 and Riata following closely behind. The highest gross revenue was produced by Riata as a combination of the high yield and high lint value.

This study is part of the Regional Pima cotton variety testing program that is carried out in 8 locations from the West Side Field Station in California to El Paso, Texas. Additional varieties are added to the regional standards in this study to supply information needed by cotton growers in southeastern Arizona. Seventeen 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. Yields were exceptionally high this year with an average yield nearly 600 pound per acre more than was harvested in 2002. The highest yielding variety in this study was Hazera (HA) 195 with a yield of 2027 pounds of lint per acre. This interspecific hybrid , from Israel, has been the highest yielding variety in the study since it was included in 2001. This fuzzy seeded hybrid has fiber qualities as follows: length - 1.41 inches, strength - 34.8 g/tex and uniformity of 87.5. The averages from this study were 1.43, 42.5 and 88.3 for these same variables, respectively. DP HTO was the highest yielding non-hybrid variety in the study with a yield over 1900 pounds of lint per acre. For comparison purposes, it=s length, strength and uniformity were: 1.39, 41.9 and 88.5. Other varieties in the top half of the study were: HA 14-08, OA 360, OA 359, HA 7-66, DP 340 and DP 744, in descending order of their yields. Yield and other agronomic data as well as fiber quality data are contained in this paper along with estimated values of the lint.

An Upland Cotton Breeding Program was initiated in 2001 by the Arizona Cotton Growers Association (ACGA). Major objectives of the breeding program are to develop varieties that produce a superior fiber quality package, high yields, and under a wide range of environmental conditions. In 2004, the seed committee of the ACGA decided to begin an independent testing program in order to quantify the performance of chosen lines developed to date that were meeting the program’s goals. Forty one lines were chosen and evaluated in replicated small plots at two locations including Yuma and Maricopa, AZ. The final data was sorted according to lines that at both locations had a fiber micronaire of 4.9 or less, staple length of 37 or greater, strength of 30 g/tx or greater, a uniformity index of 80 or greater, and yielded in the top 25% of all tested materials. One line was identified according to this criteria, 0122-2033-304.

Two separate variety evaluations were conducted in southeastern Arizona during the 2004 cotton growing season. The two locations were on grower-cooperator fields in the Upper Gila River Valley located in Thatcher, AZ (Graham County) and in the Sulfur Springs Valley in Kansas Settlement, AZ (Cochise County). Twelve varieties were selected for the Graham County evaluation and fifteen in the Cochise County evaluation. These varieties included several transgenic varieties and ranged in maturity from early to full-season varieties. Several Acala varieties were also evaluated in both the Graham and Cochise County tests. Both evaluations were conducted using a randomized complete block design with each variety replicated four times. Plant measurements were collected in season on several dates from the Graham County evaluation. End of season plant measurements were collected from the Cochise County evaluation. Lint yield was estimated at each location by harvesting the entire plot and weighing the harvested seed cotton with a weigh wagon equipped with load cells. Sub samples were collected from each plot for fiber quality and percent lint determinations. Total crop value for each variety was calculated by using the fiber quality premium/discount and using a $0.52 per pound price. The total price is then multiplied by total lint yield to obtain the total value for that particular variety. Results observed in the Graham County evaluation were similar to those in 2003. Lint yield ranged from 1200 to over 1600 lbs. lint/acre. The FiberMax variety FM991BR produced the highest lint yield and also the highest total crop value at over $950/acre. Results from the Cochise County evaluation demonstrated the potential that high fiber quality can have on total crop value. Lint yields ranged from 600 to over 1200 lbs. lint/acre. The highest yielding variety (ST5242BR) did not produce the highest crop value. Because of the higher fiber quality of the Acala varieties, they produced the highest value at approximately $630/acre.

Each year the University of Arizona conducts variety trials across the state to evaluate the performance of upland cotton varieties. These tests provide unbiased data on the performance of varieties when tested side-by-side under typical production practices. In 2004 we planted a total of 11 trials, two in the Yuma region (Yuma County), two in the western region (LaPaz and Mohave counties), four in the central region (Maricopa and Pinal counties), one in the southern region (Pima county), and two in the eastern region (Graham and Cochise counties). We tested seven to eight commercially available varieties at each test site.