by Gaylon Morgan, Josh McGinty, Dale Mott, and CEAs and IPM Agents
What a year 2016 was for cotton production in South and East Texas. We had many regions with superb yield and quality, while other regions that suffered tremendously from excessive late-season rainfall. These differences are reflected in the 2016 RACE trail results. Hopefully, the current prices will hold or improve as we move into the 2017 season, and the 2016 RACE trial results will provide some guidance on variety selection.
Variety selection is the most important decision made during the year. Unlike herbicide or insecticide decisions that can be changed during the season to address specific conditions and pests, variety selection is made only once, and variety selection dictates the management of a field for the entire season. Variety decisions should be based on genetics first and transgenic technology second. Attention should be focused on agronomic characteristics such as yield, maturity, and fiber quality when selecting varieties.
To assist Texas cotton producers in remaining competitive in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Blacklands, South Texas/Wintergarden and Upper Coastal regions, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service-Cotton Agronomy program has been conducting, large plot, on-farm, replicated variety trials for the past eleven years. This approach provides a good foundation of information that can be utilized to assist the variety selection process. These trials occur on producer’s farms and are managed by the producers.
Nineteen Replicated Agronomic Cotton Evaluation (RACE) Trials and three Monster Trials were planted in 2016 and are available at Cotton.tamu.edu. The average non-irrigate locations yields for the 2016 RACE Trials ranged from 1425 lbs/ac for Nueces Co – Lawhon location to 421 lbs/ac for Delta Co location. Mean irrigated location yields ranged from 2129 lbs/ac for the Hidalgo location to 968 lbs/ac for the Fort Bend Co location.
When selecting cotton varieties, there are several key factors that should be considered before planting cotton.
1. Gather as much unbiased yield and fiber quality data as possible from your area and beyond. Some varieties are widely adapted, while others perform well under more specific growing conditions and situations.
2. Select the herbicide and insect tolerant traits that best fit the expected challenges for 2017. Seed and technologies fees for the newer herbicide and insect traits are usually more expensive. If you do not need these traits, then many varieties with older trait packages are still competitive in yield and quality.
3. It is important to select multiple varieties with a diversity of maturities and other characteristics, including fiber quality, disease resistance, storm tolerance, etc. Again, the 2016 and 2015 results can be found at Cotton.tamu.edu. To view 2014 and earlier variety trial results go to Variety Trials Archived.
Dr. Gaylon Morgan
State Extension Cotton Specialist
College Station, TX
979-845-2425
gdmorgan@tamu.edu