U.S. cotton growers will have access to new Bollgard 3 XtendFlex varieties that have demonstrated the outstanding yield and fiber quality performance of DP1646 B2XF with the recent launch of the Deltapine Class of ’20 in New Orleans.
“The Class of ’20 is the strongest class of varieties since starting the Deltapine New Product Evaluator Program in 2008,” Keylon Gholston, Deltapine cotton products manager, said in a news release. “This class brings Bollgard 3 XtendFlex varieties to each region of the Cotton Belt.
“Proven by our NPE growers, all of the varieties in the class offer exceptional yield potential, and many of them offer outstanding fiber quality potential as well as a strong disease tolerance and resistance package. The Deltapine Class of ‘20 varieties will offer cotton producers more options for making the most of their farms.”
The six new Deltapine varieties combine the proven protection from bollworms provided by Bollgard 3 technology and the flexible and efficient weed management of the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System for cotton. In addition, five of the new varieties are resistant to bacterial blight, and three have moderate tolerance or tolerance to Verticillium wilt.
Four of the six Deltapine Class of ’20 varieties were evaluated by NPE growers in all regions of the Cotton Belt, while the other two varieties were evaluated in Texas only.
The results of the growers’ large-acre variety plots and their feedback on management and performance were instrumental in determining the Class of ’20.
“We’ve been looking for Bollgard 3 varieties that can perform like DP 1646 B2XF, and we’ve seen that in these Class of ’20 varieties, some of which actually outyielded DP 1646 B2XF on our farm and provided similar to, or even better, quality,“ said NPE grower Troy Bippert from Castroville, Texas. “I am very impressed with this class of varieties.”
Four Broadly Adapted Varieties
The Class of ’20 includes four broadly adapted varieties, plus two specifically bred for Texas. The class brings new Bollgard 3 XtendFlex varieties to market for growers looking for improved bollworm control without sacrificing high yield and fiber quality potential.
The four broadly adapted varieties are:
• DP 2012 B3XF, an early maturity variety with bacterial blight resistance.
• DP 2020 B3XF, an early mid-maturity variety with bacterial blight resistance plus moderate tolerance to Verticillium wilt.
• DP 2038 B3XF, a mid-maturity variety with excellent yield potential and bacterial blight resistance.
• DP 2055 B3XF, a full-maturity variety with excellent fiber quality potential.
“I think we have found the varieties that can compete with and even replace DP 1646 B2XF,” said NPE grower Jason Pate from Andalusia, Alabama. “Both DP 2038 B3XF and DP 2055 B3XF were some of the best cotton we’ve ever picked on our farm, even outyielding every acre of DP 1646 B2XF we had on our operation. And the Class of ’20 varieties that I planted had the best seedling vigor of any Deltapine variety we plant today.”
Texas Tough
• DP 2044 B3XF, a mid-maturity variety with excellent seedling vigor and bacterial blight resistance, which will join the DryTough program lineup for West Texas.
• DP 2022 B3XF, an early-mid-maturity variety with Vertilcillium wilt tolerance and bacterial blight resistance.
In Lamesa, Texas, NPE grower Brad Cude watched his 2019 cotton crop get off to a most promising start only to have the most severe heat and drought stress conditions he has ever experienced result in a poor finish. While yields were off, Cude got a good look at the Class of ’20 varieties for Texas.
“All of the Class of ’20 candidates showed outstanding emergence and vigor,” Cude said. “We had DP 2044 B3XF planted for seed production and I think it has a place for us in West Texas. It has large seed size, it came up growing well and seemed to hold up pretty good in the heat and drought stress we had. I think it has a place out here on dryland.”
The Deltapine brand Class of ’20 cotton varieties will be in limited launch-year seed supplies for the 2020 planting season.
Deltapine provided information for this article.