Cooperator: Jay Vaughn – 2002
Brant Baugh, Mark Brown, Alan Brashears, Randy Boman, Mark Kelley, and Mark Stelter
Extension Agent-IPM, Lubbock County, County Extension Agent-Agriculture, Lubbock County,
Agricultural Engineer, USDA-ARS, Extension Agronomist-Cotton,
and Extension Assistants-Cotton
Lubbock County
Summary: Significant differences were noted for most parameters measured. Lint yields at this
site were ultimately limited due to late-season diminished irrigation capacity. The
trial had extremely high yield potential early in August, but was subsequently
reduced by limited irrigation capacity late in the season. Lint turnout ranged from
29.3% to 36.1%. Lint yields varied from a low of 946 lb/acre to a high of 1094
lb/acre. Lint loan values were generally high across the varieties. When
subtracting ginning and systems costs, the net value among varieties ranged from
$440.76 to $534.43, a difference of $93.67. These data indicate that substantial
differences can be obtained in terms of net value/acre due to variety selection. It
should be noted that minimal preharvest losses were encountered at this site due
to early harvest date. In this demonstration, the looser picker-type varieties’ yields
were generally unaffected by wind or rainfall events. Additional multi-site and
multi-year applied research is needed to evaluate varieties across a series of
environments.
Objective: The objective of this project was to compare yields, gin turnout, fiber quality and
economics of transgenic varieties in cooperator fields.
Materials and
Methods:
Varieties: Deltapine 555BG/RR, Deltapine 458B/RR, Deltapine 449B/RR, FiberMax 989BR,
Paymaster 1218BG/RR, Paymaster 2344BG/RR, Stoneville 4892BR, Sure-Grow
215BG/RR
Experimental design: Randomized complete block with 3 replications
Seeding rate: 17 lb seed/acre in 40-inch row spacing (International Early Riser Planter Model 900)
Plot size: 16 40-inch rows wide by 1310 feet long
Planting date: May 6
Weed management: Treflan at 1qt/acre was applied pre-plant on April 17. Roundup UltraMax was
applied over-the-top on May 24, at 26 oz/acre + ammonium sulfate (1qt/100 gallons
of spray mix). All varieties were hand hoed on July 10 at a cost of $15.00/acre.
Mepiquat chloride: Pix was applied at 8 oz/acre on August 12.
Drip irrigation:
May: 4.42″ August:: 3.25″
June: 5.30″
July: 5.48″
Rainfall:
April: 0.45″ July: 1.21″
May: 0.37″ August: 1.08″
June: 2.95″
Total moisture: 24.51″
Insecticides: Temik was applied in-furrow at 3 lb/acre. Intruder at 0.7oz/acre and Decis at 2.24
oz/acre were applied on August 19, for bollworm and aphid control. This location
is in an active boll weevil eradication zone, but no applications were made by the
Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Program.
Fertilizer: Using a chisel rig, 200 lb/acre of 10-34-0 fertilizer were applied preplant on April 17.
An additional 200 lb actual N/acre using fluid nitrogen fertilizer (32-0-0) was applied
during the growing season via the drip system.
Harvest aids: CottonQuik at 3.5 pt/acre plus Ginstar at 6 oz/acre were commercially applied on
September 30 followed by Gramoxone Max at 16 oz/acre on October 4.
Harvest: Plots were harvested on October 11, 12 and 13, using a commercial John Deere
7445 with field cleaner. Harvested material was dumped into a weigh wagon with
integral digital scales to determine individual plot weights. Plots yields were
adjusted to lb/acre. The 3 replications of each variety were combined to make a
single module for each variety.
Gin turnout: Variety modules were commercially ginned at the Liberty Co-op Gin at Lubbock.
Classing: Lint samples were classed at the USDA-AMS classing office at Lubbock and loan
values were determined.
Ginning cost Ginning costs were based on $2.25 per cwt. of bur cotton and $95 per ton for seed
and seed values: value. Ginning costs do not include checkoff.
Systems cost: Systems cost was determined by variety per acre using manufacturer’s suggested
retail prices for seed, and appropriate technology fees for Bollgard and Roundup
Ready based on the 17 lb/acre seeding rate.
Results and
Discussion: Significant differences were noted for most parameters measured (Table 1 and Table 2). Lint yields at this site were ultimately limited due to late-season diminished irrigation capacity. The trial had extremely high yield potential early in August which was reduced by limited irrigation capacity. Lint turnout ranged from 29.3% to 36.1%. Lint yields varied from a low of 946 lb/acre to a high of 1094 lb/acre. Lint loan values were generally high across the varieties. After adding lint and seed values, total value for varieties ranged from a low of $552.42 to a high of $651.44. When subtracting ginning and systems costs, the net value among varieties ranged from $440.76 to $534.43, a difference of $93.67. These data indicate that substantial differences can be obtained in terms of net value/acre due to variety selection. It should be noted that minimal preharvest losses were encountered at this site due to early harvest date. In this demonstration, the looser picker-type varieties’ yields were generally unaffected by wind or rainfall events. Additional multi-site and multi-year applied research is needed to evaluate varieties across a series of environments.
Acknowledgments: Appreciation is expressed to Mr. Jay Vaughn and Mr. Al Robertson for contribution
of land and equipment, and to Mr. Kent Wood (USDA-ARS) for for his efforts with
harvesting. Gratitude is also expressed to Verdell Burton, Manager, Liberty Co-op
Gin at Lubbock for careful ginning of the variety modules.
Disclaimer Clause: Trade names of commercial products used in this report are included only for better
understanding and clarity. Reference to commercial products or trade names is
made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement
by the Texas A&M University System is implied. Readers should realize that results
from one experiment do not represent conclusive evidence that the same response
would occur where conditions vary.
