TITLE:

            Dryland Cotton Variety Demonstration

AUTHORS:

             Donald Vogler - Farm 2002, John Farris, County Extension Agent - Agriculture Dawson County

SUMMARY:

Yield and fiber quality comparisons were made among seven varieties on the Donald Vogler farm south of Lamesa. Yields ranged from 780 to 401 lbs/A and averaged 663 lbs/A.

Superior fiber quality and strength can produce additional returns for cotton producers by increasing loan price. There was a 450 point difference compared to the average in this test, which returns an additional $22.50 per bale at loan prices to the producer. Also, there is a $202.72 higher gross return per acre between the high and low yields in this trial.

These results indicate that the composite of quality cotton production and pounds of lint returned more to producers in this test. As always, quality and top production should be our goal.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective was to evaluate several cotton varieties in an on-farm demonstration in Dawson County. Entries were evaluated on the basis of lint yield and lint quality factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Location:                    Five miles south on Hwy 349 and 3/4 miles east

Soil Type:                  Amarillo Fine Sandy Loam

Date Planted:              May 31, 2002

Row Pattern:              40" 8 X 1

Rainfall:                     Spring 2.5", May 1.25", July 1", Aug. .5", Oct. 3.5"

Previous Crop:           Cotton

Date Harvested:November 22, 2002

Fertilizer:                   Two Application Foliar (7N-0P-0K-2S-1Fe-3Mg-5Zn)

Herbicide:                  1.25 Pts Treflan Broadcast and Banded at Planting

Insecticide:                 Two Worm Sprayings - Baythroid

Seeding Rate:             11#/A

Plot Design:               Randomized complete block with 2 replications

                                   1.57 acres per plot

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

      Table 1. Results of Dryland Cotton Variety Test at Donald Vogler Farm, 2002 ^a/ *     

      ^a/      Yields are based on stripper harvested samples of each replication. Loan card used to figure value per acre. All varieties ginned at the Texas A&M University Research and Extension Center, Lubbock, Texas to determine lint quality and instrument classed at International Textile Research Center Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.

Rank is composite rating of average lint yield per acre and gross return per acre.

            ■          All varieties were harvested without a stripper field cleaner.

Table 2. Characteristics of Cotton Varieties Grown on Donald Vogler Farm, 2002

Summarized from sales literature and other information provided by respective companies to Dr. Randy Boman, Extension Agronomist-Cotton, Texas Cooperative Extension, Lubbock, TX.

      Acknowledgments:

Special thanks to Donald Vogler.