Department of Agronomy & Soils Agricultural Experiment Station R. Dennis Rouse ,Director February 1978 Departmental Series No.43 Auburn University Auburn, Alabama i i 5- -77I 1 a" 1~ Report 1977 1/ 1977 ALABAMA COTTON VARIETY REPORT- A Report of the Performance of Cotton Varieties Tested at Nine Locations in Alabama During 1977 2/ Wiley C. Johnson- The Alabama Cotton Variety Test is a continuing evaluation of available cotton varieties from both private companies and state experiment stations. Breeding lines that are likely to be released as varieties are also tested. All tests are conducted on units of the Agricultural Experiment Station by Experiment Station personnel. All phases of culture are as generally recom- mended by Auburn University to farmers. Every effort is made to test the varieties and present the data in an unbiased manner. Experimental Design and Plot Size A randomized block design in four replications was used at each location. Length of plots at different locations varied from 34 to 142 feet. Plots were two-row at Prattville and single row at the other locations. Seasonal Conditions All tests were planted within the optimum planting period and satisfactory stands were established at all locations without replanting. Southern and central locations, Brewton, Monroeville, Headland, Prattville, Tallassee, and Shorter, were drier than normal during May and June but received near normal rainfall for the remainder of the season. Northern sites, Winfield, Belle Mina, and Crossville, had near normal rainfall through June but were dry during July and August. 1/February 1978 2 /Professor, Department of Agronomy and Soils Boll weevil populations were at a very low level throughout the season at all test locations. Boll worms (Heliothis spp.) were prevalent throughout the State during August and September and caused extensive damage. Fall armyworms also were abundant and destructive especially in the central and southern areas. Boll rot was severe in central and southern tests due to the warm and humid conditions during September and October. The cotton variety test previously planted at Auburn has been discontinued. Hereafter, this central Alabama test will be located at the new E. V. Smith Research Center near Shorter, Alabama. Data from the 1977 tests at Tallassee, Headland, and Shorter are not in- cluded in the report because of excessive within-test variation and inconsist- ent varietal performance. For informational purposes, the most recent results from these sites are given. Explanation of Data Yield of Seed Cotton: Tests at Prattville, Brewton, and Monroeville were harvested by a mechanical spindle picker. Tests at Winfield, Belle Mina, and Crossville were harvested by hand. Average weight of seed cotton per acre was determined for each variety at each location. Lint Percentage: A sample of seed cotton from each variety at each location was taken at harvest and ginned on a 10-saw gin. Lint percentage was calcu- lated by dividing weight of lint by weight of seed cotton. Yield of Lint: Lint yield was determined by multiplying the lint percentage by yield of seed cotton. Fiber Properties: Measurements of fiber properties are not available at this 3 time. A supplement to this report will be made when this information is available. Earliness: Where more than one harvest was made, earliness is reported as the percentage of the total yield harvested at the first picking. Fusarium Wilt: Reaction of varieties to Fusarium wilt was evaluated at the Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee, by growing the varieties in fields with a high natural incidence of the Fusarium wilt-root-knot nematode complex. Severity of the disease varies from year to year and also within the experimental area in the same year. Therefore, several years' data are necessary to realistically characterize a variety's wilt reaction. These data are summarized in table 7. Auburn 56 is the only variety tested each year that has been highly resistant. Stoneville 213 and Hancockhave consistently shown a high incidence of wilt. All other varieties that have been tested for at least 3 years have some tolerance to Fusarium wilt. New and Experimental Varieties Deltapine 26, first tested in Alabama in 1976, is a selection from one of the original lines comprising Deltapine 25. Deltapine 26 is similar to Deltapine 25 and also has high yield and good wilt resistance. Stoneville 731N is a nectariless variety. In addition to having no leaf or floral nectaries, this variety is somewhat earlier than the other Stoneville varieties. Lint characteristics are similar to the familiar Stoneville 213. Deltapine 61 is a selection from Deltapine 16 and in general is quite similar to Deltapine 16. Brycot 4 and Vail 7 have been in test since 1976. Both appeared to be earlier than other varieties in the test. McNair 220 was available to a limited ex- tent in 1977. We have tested it statewide since 1976. It is early and appears to have good Fusarium wilt resistance. New Rex was selected from Rex Smoothleaf-66 and released by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Results from its first year of testing in Alabama, 1977, indicate it is best adapted to the northern areas of the State. DES 24 is a release by the Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station and has been previously tested under the experimental designation DES-06-020-24. Data from 1976 and 1977 indicate that DES-24 is well adapted to Alabama and has a high level of resistance to Fusarium wilt. Coker 3114, Coker 315, Coker 420-511, PD 9241, and McNair 3033 are experimental lines included for preliminary testing only and are not released varieties. Acala 1517-70 and Paymaster 909 are varieties adapted to the western areas of cotton production and are included in certain Alabama variety tests as national standard varieties. These tests are part of a national cooperative variety testing program. Neither variety is well adapted to Alabama conditions. Statistical Analysis Appropriate analyses of the yield data were made. For each location, the variability of the test was calculated and expressed as a percentage of the test mean, coefficient of variation (C.V.). An indication of the difference between variety averages necessary to be a real difference is given, Least Significant Difference (L. S.D..05 ) Table 1. Performance of Cotton Varieties in Northern Alabama, 1977 Yield of lint per acre Av lint Percen earlines Variety Crossville Belle Nina Winfield Av. percentage BleNn ife Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Pet.Pe.et A. Stoneville 731N Hancock New Rex Stoneville 603 Coker 310 McNair 220 Deltapine 26 Coker 3114 Delcot 277 Stoneville 213 Vail 7 Deltapine 16 DES 24 Coker 315 Deltapine 61 Coker 420-511 McNair 612 Coker 304 Auburn 56 Deltapine 55 Dixie King 1II Coker 417 Brycot 4 McNair 511 NcNair 3033 PD 9241 Acala 1517-70 Paymaster 909 L. S.D.0 341 381 420 344 392 464 298 362 399 322 352 387 434 438 439 463 367 362 329 354 326 475 34 9 246 212 57 10.9 770 530 702 687 632 514 733 610 665 683 602 605 613 514 606 514 479 551 501 606 542 The following 623 633 335 69 8.2 528? 664 429 499 494 524 470 518 417 472 521 468 412 484 383 444 525 427 486 348 411 varieties were 521 397 409 546 525 517 510 506 500 500 496 494 492 492 487 486 479 476 474 457 446 438 436 426 not tested at 40 38 40 40 40 38 42 41 41 38 40 39 40 40 40 38 41 40 39 40 37 all 37 37 36 43 43 41 43 locations 139 21.1 84 92 90 93 92 91 85 89 89 89 86 83 90 89 83 88 87 88 86 82 88 94 95 88 89 93 95 88 94 92 91 90 90 91 86 80 84 93 91 93 89 93 94 88 84 88 86 72 I L~ L'ICL II V ~i L J U I ~1 7 J L -1 r -I I Table 2. Performance of Cotton Varieties in Northern Alabama, Two-year Average, 1976-77 Yield of lint per acre Average lint Variety Crossville* Belle Nina Winfield Av. percentage Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Pct. Vail 7 352 627 410 518 38 Hancock 381 488 512 500 38 Stoneville 603 344 595 391 493 38 Brycot 4 --- 596 389 493 38 Coker 310 392 505 443 474 40 Deltapine 16 387 515 423 469 38 Stoneville 213 322 513 394 454 38 Stoneville 731N 341 477 430 454 39 Deltapine 61 439 543 354 449 38 Deltapine 26 298 524 368 446 42 DES 24 434 536 354 445 39 Coker 417 - 442 411 426 38 Auburn 56 329 425 428 426 37 Delcot 277 399 459 383 421 40 McNair 220 464 442 382 412 38 Coker 304 362 379 388 383 40 Deltapine 55 354 445 303 374 39 McNair 6120 367 379 365 372 41 McNair 511 -- 245 321 283 38 197* at oly 197 daa oly. Data not included in averages. Table 3. Performance of Cotton Varieties in Northern Alabama, Three-year Average, 1975-1977 Yield of lint per acre Average lint Variety Crossville* Belle Mina Winfield Av. percentage Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Pct. Hancock 381 556 486 521 39 Stoneville 603 344 610 404 507 39 Coker 310 392 562 446 504 41 Deltapine 16 387 543 450 496 39 Stoneville 213 322 523 444 483 39 Delcot 277 399 533 422 477 40 Deltapine 55 354 567 364 465 41 Coker 417 --- 493 430 462 39 Auburn 56 329 469 434 452 37 Coker 304 362 462 440 451 41 McNair 0612 368 424 436 430 41 McNair 511 --- 290 345 318 38 Data not included in averages.1977 data only. Table 4. Performance of Cotton Varieties in Southern Alabama, 1977 Yield of lint per acre Monroe- Pratt- Percent Av. lint Variety Brewton ville ville Av. earliness* percentage Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Pct. Pct. Hancock 913 823 658 798 78 41 Deltapine 61 552 858 776 729 71 38 Deltapine 26 539 861 782 727 69 40 DES 24 549 772 767 696 77 39 Delcot 277 694 717 673 695 82 39 McNair 220 517 811 754 694 79 39 Stoneville 603 640 729 699 689 77 40 Vail 7 628 752 684 688 70 38 Dixie King III 532 776 750 686 67 41 Coker 417 537 849 672 686 82 37 Coker 420-511 551 784 659 665 77 40 Stoneville 731N 463 783 745 663 78 38 Auburn 56 674 725 585 661 67 36 Coker 315 441 822 708 657 76 39 Brycot 4 501 709 729 646 68 38 Stoneville 213 492 763 673 643 76 36 Deltapine 55 566 647 713 642 75 38 Coker 310 585 700 631 639 83 37 McNair 511 625 785 490 633 65 36 McNair 612 460 705 681 615 71 38 Coker 304 426 760 658 615 73 42 Deltapine 16 478 720 618 605 70 37 New Rex 611 532 570 571 79 34 Coker 3114 379 641 663 561 71 40 L.S.D. 117 103 80 C.V. %05 14.9 9.7 8.3 Prattville location only. Table 5. Performance of Cotton Varieties in Southern Alabama, Two-year Average, 1976-77 Yield of lint per acre Brew- Head- Monroe- Pratt- Tallas- Av. lint Variety ton land* ville yille see** Av. percent Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Pct. Hancock 1116 579 766 780 1009 887 41 Deltapine 61 888 --- 839 891 968 873 39 McNair 220 948 --- 806 823 829 859 40 Deltapine 26 856 --- 850 857 1076 854 41 DES 24 937 --- 765 833 865 845 41 Delcot 277 981 424 711 750 876 814 40 Vail 7 871 --- 756 815 991 814 39 McNair 612 908 335 741 782 628 810 41 Coker 304 900 485 742 775 860 806 44 McNair 511 938 267 771 693 960 801 38 Stoneville 603 884 475 729 786 955 800 40 Auburn 56 922 437 711 751 897 795 37 Coker 417 860 430 761 761 792 794 39 Coker 310 888 546 689 800 753 792 40 Deltapine 55 867 619 716 792 925 792 40 Brycot 4 793 --- 717 822 968 777 39 Stoneville 731N 800 --- 788 744 809 777 40 Stoneville 213 788 538 766 767 914 774 38 Deltapine 16 833 437 710 761 910 768 38 1975 data only. Data not included in averages. 1976 data only. Data not included in averages. Table 6. Performance of Cotton Varieties in Southern Alabama, Three-year Average, 1975-77 Yield of lint per acre Brew- Head- Monroe- Pratt- Tallas- Av. lint Variety ton land ville ville see** Av. ercentage Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb. Pct. Hancock 972 579 694 793 789 820 41 Deltapine 55 801 619 678 806 640 762 40 McNair 612 833 335 662 787 557 761 42 Delcot 277 864 424 648 747 684 753 41 McNair 511 845 267 682 731 769 753 39 Coker 304 842 485 680 731 623 751 43 Stoneville 603 769 475 684 781 727 744 40 Auburn 56 851 437 636 735 687 740 38 Coker 417 795 430 675 751 615 740 40 Deltapine 16 752 437 667 799 774 739 39 Stoneville 213 758 538 684 761 695 734 39 Coker 310 811 546 615 777 596 734 41 1975 data only. - Data not included in averages. 1975-1976 data only. Data not included in averages. Table 7. Percentage of Plants Showing Symptoms of Fusarium 1/tx Average wilt percentage 2-yr 3-yr 4-yr 5 r 6-yr 7yr 8-y Variety 1977 1976-77 1975-77 1974-77 1973-77 1972-77 1971-77 1970- Auburn 56 15.7 9.6 14.3 19.5 21.5 19.5 19.3 22. Deltapine 16 15.2 16.5 16.3 17.8 17.6 18.9 24.5 31. Stoneville 213 44.3 30.4 36.8 37.5 45.3 42.9 44.2 50. Coker 310 20.0 15.8 20.7 20.5 25.7 23.1 29.9 26. Coker 417 29.5 17.6 20.0 21.2 24.2 25.2 28.6 31. Stoneville 603 25..8 15.3 13.6 19.1 18.5 18.9 23.2 25. Delcot 277 15.8 14.5 16.4 17.2 17.9 16.8. 19.8 25. McNair 511 18.7 15.8 17.0 19.7 21.6 20.9 23.2 Coker 304 17.8 13.1 15.1 19.6 23.2 22.6 Deltapine 55 28.3 18.5 20.8 23.3 25.4 24.0 Dixie King III 22.3 14.8 19.8 17.0 22.0 Hancock 54.8 42.8 46.7 45.5 53.2 McNair 612 29.0 18.3 19.4 21.4 27.6 Brycot 4S 33.5 32.2 Deltapine 26 4.0 3.0 Deltapine 61 14.8 17.0 DES 24 9.0 8.5 McNair 220 16.5 11.0 PD 9241 50.3 40.1 Stoneville 731N 48.2 41.8 Vail 7 38.0 33.8 Coker 315 26.3 Coker 420-511 24.2 Coker 3114 26.3 New Rex 24.0 1!/Data were taken from a field severely infested with the Fusarium wilt fungus and rootkoceaoePa Breeding Unit, Tallassee, Alabama. 1967-77 18.8 30.6 57.1 it Source of Seed for the 1977 Cotton Variety Test Variety Seed source Auburn 56 Auburn University (Ala.) Agricul- tural Experiment Station Auburn, AL 36830 Deltapine 16 Deltapine 55 Delta and Pine Land Co. Deltapine 26 Scott, MS 38772 Deltapine 61 Stoneville 213 Stoneville 603 Stoneville Pedigreed-Seed Co. Stoneville 731N Stoneville, MS 38776 Dixie King III Coker 310 Coker 417 Coker 304 Caker's Pedigreed Seed Co. Coker 315 Hartsville, SC 29550 Coker 420-511 Coker 3114 Delcot 277 Delta Center Portageville, MO 63873 McNair 511 McNair Seed Co. McNair 220 McNair 612 Laurinburg, NC 28532 West Tennessee Experiment Station HancockJackson, TN 38301 Bryco .4 Bryco Vail 7 Jonesboro, AR 72401 DES 24 Delta Branch Experiment Station Stoneville, MS 38776 9241 Pee Dee Experiment Station Florence, SC 29501 Cotton Branch Experiment Station New Rex Marianna, AR 72360 Information contained herein is available to all regardless of race, color, or national origin.