Systems Agronomic and Economic Evaluation of Transgenic and
Conventional Varieties in the Texas High Plains
February, 2001
Dr. Randy Boman, Extension Agronomist-Cotton
Mr. Mark Kelley, Extension Assistant-Cotton
Mr. Alan Helm, Extension Assistant-Cotton
Texas Agricultural Extension Service
Lubbock, TX
Medium Weed Control Input Site
James Brown Farm, Muleshoe (Parmer County)
Clean tillage following corn
Irrigation: low elevation spray, straight rows
Plot size: 10 30-inch rows/plot
Area: Variable (0.7 to 1.5 Acres/Plot), 3 replications of each variety
Planted: May 10, 2000 at 20 lb seed/Acre
Harvest aid program: September 30 – 1 pt/acre Prep + 1 pt/acre Def followed by 32 oz/acre Cyclone on
October 10
Harvested: November 15-16, 2000 (after significant weathering due to rainfall occurred).
Blanket Herbicide Program: $28.80/acre
Dominant weed species: pigweed, kochia, johnsongrass, cocklebur, volunteer corn
The whole field was treated with 2 pt/acre of Treflan preplant incorporated. An additional 1 pt/acre of Direx (diuron) was broadcast at planting. One post-directed application of 1 qt/acre Bladex + 1 qt/acre MSMA + 1 qt/acre crop oil concentrate (COC) was applied across all varieties. The total cost of the blanket herbicide program was $28.80/acre (Table 1).
Specific herbicide systems costs included:
BXN variety: 1 pt/acre Buctril + 0.5% COC at 10 GPA on June 7.
Roundup Ready varieties: 1 qt/acre Roundup Ultra + 17 lb of StrikeZone per 100 gallons of spray solution, applied in 10 GPA on June 8.
All non-Roundup Ready Varieties: 12 oz/acre Fusion + 1% v/v COC at 10 GPA on June 20.
Three cultivations were conducted on non-Roundup Ready varieties, and Roundup Ready types were cultivated two times. Hoe costs were $3.05, $13.91, and $13.91 per acre for Roundup Ready, BXN, and conventional herbicide systems, respectively.
Lepidopterous insect pressure at this site was moderate, and the project was oversprayed three times for beet armyworm control. This location was in an active boll weevil eradication zone.
Varieties planted at this site included:
1. Paymaster 2145RR
2. Paymaster 2326RR
3. Paymaster 2156RR
4. Paymaster 2200RR
5. Paymaster 2280BG/RR
6. All-Tex Xpress RR
7. Stoneville X9904RR (2454R)
8. Stoneville BXN 16
9. Fiber Max 819
10. Paymaster 280
11. Deltapine 215B
12. Deltapine 2156
