New Varieties and US Cotton Quality

1
New Varieties andUS Cotton Quality

• Kenneth B. Hood
• Chairman of the National Cotton Council
• H.B. Hood and Sons Gin Perthshire Farms
• Gunnison, MS

2
United States Cotton Belt
Perthshire Farms
3
Perthshire Farms In the Mississippi Delta
4
Variety Selection
Seed variety is the first decision about quality.
5
Cotton Quality
6
Variations in QualityDue to the Environment
7
New ManagementTechnologyAnticipates Crop Needs
8
Technologies Used in Precision Farming
9
Remotely Sensed Stress Image and Yield Map
10
Spatially-Variable Insecticide Application
Using imagery as a guide, a GPS-equipped
applicator can spray only where needed.
Miridae (Plant Bug)
Less Healthy
More Healthy
11
Irrigation Scheduling
12
Varieties Differ Widely Across the United States

• Variety and climate variations produce a wide
  range of fiber qualities

13
Wide Diversity of Choices

• Staple Length 1 to 1.44 in.
• Strength 25 - 33 g/tex
• Micronaire (Mic) 3.2 - 5.0
• Length Uniformity 80 - 82

14
2002 US Cotton QualityAs of 11/07/02

• White Grade 75
• Light Spot Grade 22
• Average Micronaire 4.6
• Average Length 34.6(32nd)
• Average Strength 28(g/tex)

15
United States Cotton Belt
Far West
South East
Mid South
South West
16
Average Mic 2001 Crop
17
Average Length Uniformity Index 2001
18
Average Strength 2001
19
Average Staple Length 2001
20
Emerging Trendsin Variety Development
21
New Varieties In Development

• Changing needs of textile industry
• Growers pressed for high yield (economics) and
  high quality (customer needs)
• Seed companies breeding new genetics that will
  improve yield and quality to better meet grower
  and mill needs
• Competitive pressure of seed companies

22
New Varieties Moving into the Market

• Germplasm from many global research efforts
• Bringing new germplasm with unique traits
• High yield with good fiber quality

23
Comparison of Experimental Variety With Current
Popular Variety

• Height of bar is the percent change from
  commercial variety.

35.8
29.4 g/tex
4.3
24
Early-Season VarietyVs. Popular Early Season
Variety
28.5 g/tex
35.7
of Current Popular Variety
83.0
4.14
Current Variety 34.3
27.1 4.87
83.1
55 Locations 2000 to 10/22/2002
25
New Full Season VarietyVs. A Popular Full
Season Variety
30.0
36.0
of Popular Variety
4.40
27.1
Current Variety
4.87
34.3
26
New Conventional Variety VS. Popular
Conventional Variety
37.4
4.24
of Popular Variety
28.1
82.4
Standard 36.1 30.9
4.14 82.6
96 Locations 1999 to 2002
27
Biotechnology
28
Has biotechnology affected fiber quality?
29
How do transgenic varieties compare to their
conventional counterparts?
30
Official Variety Trials

• Conducted by University Scientists
• 16 states
• 6 years (1995-2000)
• 422 different location-years
• Compared transgenic variety with its parent when
  planted in the same fields

31
Yield Transgenic Varieties Vs. Recurrent Parents

of Parent
Source NCC review of US Official Variety Trials
1995-2000
32
Fiber Strength Transgenic Vs. Recurrent Parents
of Parent
Source NCC review of US Official Variety Trials
1995-2000
33
Staple Length Transgenic Vs. Recurrent Parents
of Parent
Source NCC review of US Official Variety Trials
1995-2000
34
Micronaire Transgenic Vs. Recurrent Parents
of Parent
Source NCC review of US Official Variety Trials
1995-2000
35
Length Uniformity Transgenic Vs. Recurrent
Parents
of Parent
Source NCC review of US Official Variety Trials
1995-2000
36
Conclusion

• Varieties are improving in both yield and quality
• Technology for managing plant stress also is
  improving
• DNA transformation has not caused a fiber quality
  change