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. Seed Variety Weather Management Pests Cotton Quality

6. Variations in QualityDue to the Environment

7. New ManagementTechnologyAnticipates Crop Needs

8. GPS Remote Sensing/GIS Canopy Reflectance Variable-Rate Application Equipment Plant Physiology Soil Fertility 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 Mid South Far West South East 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