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Evaluation of Cotton Genotypes for Early Season Environments

R.M. Vieira, J.A. Landivar, D. Azevedo, D. Moseley


 
ABSTRACT

Cotton production in the Coastal Bend Region of Texas is often limited by late season insect pressure and adverse weather at harvest. These two factors can delay harvest, reduce yield and affect fiber quality, causing significant economic loss to the producers. A study was conducted at Texas A & M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Corpus Christi, TX, in 1994 and 1995 to evaluate six early maturing cotton genotypes under an intensive management program aimed at promoting earliness. The objective of the study was to mature the crop within a growing season of 120 days, from emergence to defoliation, to escape the late season adverse weather and insect pressure.

Six early maturing genotypes (C 300-91, STV-132, Sphinx, C 316-91, DPL-50 and CAB-CS) were grown during two years (1994 and 1995), in a randomized complete block design under an intensive management program. The management practices included the use of: 1) Temik and PGR-IV at planting to provide early seedling vigor; 2) Overwinter boll weevil control to reduce early season insect pressure and square losses; 3) Pix at early bloom to control vegetative growth and to induce cutout; 4) Foliar nitrogen to insure adequate supply during boll fill and 5) Applications of Dropp and Prep to insure a rapid and efficient harvest.

The management strategies used in this study successfully forced the crop to mature in 120 days during both years. Maturity of all genotypes ranged from 44% to 64% at the time of defoliation. Across the years, genotype C 300-91, an experimental USDA-ARS Welasco line, produced 992 Kg Ha-1 of lint followed by STV-132 (968 Kg Ha-1), Sphinx (936 Kg Ha-1), C316-91 (926 Kg Ha-1), DPL-50 (903 Kg Ha-1) and CAB-CS (876 Kg Ha-1). The study proved the feasibility of obtaining high yields in a short production system in the Coastal Bend Region of Texas.



Reprinted from Proceedings of the 1996 Beltwide Cotton Conferences pp. 631 - 635
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998