Enhanced phenotypic traits in crop plants must be evaluated to determine their expression or performance across environments. Texas A&M AgriLife Research has developed extra-long staple upland (ELSU) phenotypes, long staple upland (LSU) phenotypes, and extra strength upland phenotypes (ESU) of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Three of these improved strains, TAM 11K-13 ELSU, TAM 11T-08 ELSU/ESU, and TAM 11L-24 LSU, plus three additional experimental strains and ten commercial cultivars, were grown with irrigation at Weslaco, TX and with no irrigation at Corpus Christi, TX. These sites are 250 km apart but share similar temperature and rainfall patterns. The objective of this research was to evaluate and compare the performance of three advanced strains possessing elite fiber length and strength, and secondarily for yield and lint percent, in these two south Texas environments. These entries were grown in a randomized complete block design with four replications at Corpus Christi (non-irrigated) and Weslaco (irrigated) in 2013 and 2014. All genotypes evaluated produced lower upper half mean length (UHML) under drought conditions at Corpus. However, reduction in UHML of the ELSU, LSU, and ESU phenotypes were not different than most of the commercial cultivars and remained significantly longer than the medium staple upland cultivars. TAM 11T-08 ELSU/ESU was numerically stronger when grown under dryland culture and exhibited significantly less reduction in strength when grown without irrigation at Corpus Christi as when grown at Weslaco under irrigation. The enhanced fiber quality traits responded similarly to these environments as standard genotypes.
