Each year the University of Arizona conducts on-farm variety trials across the state to evaluate the performance of upland cotton varieties. These tests provide many segments of the industry with unbiased, independent data on the performance of varieties from several seed companies when tested side-by-side under typical production practices. Ten trials were planted in the cotton producing areas of the state, ranging from Wellton in Yuma county to Kansas Settlement in Cochise county. Seed companies entered a maximum of two varieties per location resulting in eight to thirteen commercially available varieties per test. The results show that many varieties performed well at several locations, indicating good adaptation to Arizona conditions.

Each year the University of Arizona conducts upland cotton variety tests to evaluate the performance of a diverse set of experimental lines and commercial varieties in Arizona. One such program is the Regional Variety Test (RVT). In 1999, we evaluated a total of 59 varieties at one or more locations in Arizona. These varieties were submitted to us for testing by 16 private seed companies and two public breeding programs. This report presents the results of the trials conducted at Maricopa, Marana, and Safford.

A study was conducted at the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center (MAC) to compare growth and development characteristics and determine differences in fruiting pattern and retention among two obsolete (Deltapine 16 and Acala 442) and three modern (Deltapine Acala 90, Deltapine 5415, and NuCotn 33b) Upland (G. hirsutum L.) cotton cultivars grown in an irrigated production system in Arizona. Results indicated that the majority of yield was produced at fruiting branches 10 through 18 at position one. Lint yield results indicated no significant differences among all cultivars tested, except for Acala 442, which was significantly lower than all others. Obsolete cultivars produced significantly higher amounts of lint on vegetative branches than modern varieties. Deltapine 16, followed by NuCotn 33b, had the highest harvest index and was the most efficient cultivar grown with respect to dry matter partitioning.

Experimental strains containing the Bollgard II® gene construct have been developed in upland cotton through transformation of DP50B. We evaluated the field performance of two of these new strains at four locations in Arizona. Lint yields of these two lines compare favorably with the parent material used to develop the lines (DP50B), but are significantly lower than other conventional and transgenic varieties that are adapted to Arizona. Fiber quality was not compromised in the Bollgard II strains. In fact, one line, 15813, produced fiber that was of superior quality to DP50B. One of the lines (15985) was similar to DP50B for all traits measured in this test. These results show that the Bollgard II gene construct does not, in itself, compromise agronomic performance. Thus, it should be possible to successfully place Bollgard II into other varieties that are adapted to Arizona in order to produce an agronomically superior variety with the added benefit of the Bollgard II technology.

Two replicated on-farm short staple variety trials were planted in 1999. Twenty-two varieties were evaluated on the Claridge farm in Solomon and fifteen varieties on the Colvin farm near Ft. Thomas. Several new varieties were planted in these studies, including 2 transgenic varieties: DP 5690RR, BXN 16; 4 Israeli inter-specific hybrids and six other varieties seen for the first time. DP 35B was the highest yielding variety in the Claridge trial with BXN 47 a close second. Both varieties yielded over 1300 pounds of lint per acre. PM 1440 was the highest yielding variety in the Colvin trial with SG 747 and DP 5690RR following closely behind. These varieties yielded between 700 and 800 pounds of lint per acre. Other agronomic data from the varieties and HVI values from the lint are also included in this report.

Upland cotton advanced strains and commercial check comparison varieties were evaluated in replicated field studies at four locations in 1999. The test sites include Yuma, AZ., Buckeye, AZ., Maricopa, AZ., and Safford, AZ.. Ten seed companies submitted a maximum of five advanced strains entries per location. Three commercial check varieties were used at each site for comparison purposes and included DP 5415, SG 125, and STV 474.

The Acala and Upland Variety trials typically grown in Cochise County were combined into one study in 1999 and were planted on the Glenn Schmidt farm, in Kansas Settlement. Twelve varieties were tested including three New Mexico Acalas and one Interspecific Hybrid from Israel. The highest yielding variety in the trial was FM 989 with a yield near 1200 pounds of lint. It was also the highest yielding variety in the Cochise County trial in 1998. PM 1560 BG came in a close second with the Israeli varity (Hazera 151-208) and the two New Mexico varieties (1517-95 and 1517-99) yielding over 1100 pounds of lint.

Four field tests were conducted at three Arizona locations in 1999 to evaluate the performance of transgenic cotton varieties in Arizona. We included a total of 34 varieties in one or more of these tests. Across locations and varieties, Bollgard (BG) and stacked BG and Roundup Ready (BGRR) varieties produced about 7 to 8% greater lint yields than the conventional varieties from which they were derived. Across all varieties and all tests, the average lint yield of the Roundup Ultra sprayed RR or BGRR treatments was 1569 lb./A, while the average yield of the unsprayed RR or BGRR treatments was 1580 lb./A. Roundup Ready (RR) varieties produced lint yields similar to the conventional varieties with a couple of exceptions. Roundup Ready varieties tended to be taller and more vigorous than the conventional parent. Transgenic varieties were often different from the conventional parent in one or more traits, such as fiber quality, lint percent, boll weight, or maturity, but the variation was not associated with a particular transgene.

A field trial was established during the 2001 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. Seven Upland cotton varieties to be evaluated at this location were entered by various cooperating seed companies. A new variety from FiberMax produced the highest yield and also possessed the highest quality fiber making it the variety that would have produced the highest gross income to the producer.

Twelve varieties were tested including three New Mexico Acalas and one Acala from Buttonwillow Research in California, six Roundup Ready varieties, five of which also contained the Bt gene, along with a couple of other varieties were planted including FiberMax 989, which has been the highest yielding variety in the trial for two of the past three years. The highest yielding variety in the trial was FiberMax 989R, the Roundup Ready version of FM 989, with a yield over 950 pounds of lint per acre. 1517-95 and SureGrow 521RR followed in yield. Yields were considerably lower than seen in the previous year’s study (1). Several Roundup Ready varieties were included in this study. Plant mapping data and HVI data are also included in this report.