Deltapine has kicked off the 13th season of its New Product Evaluator Program where participating growers will plant and evaluate eight Bollgard XtendFlex varietal candidates in large-acre plots for on-farm evaluation.
The plots will be managed accordingly to each grower’s practices consisting of both irrigated and non-irrigated fields, planted in various soil types and subjected to local environmental conditions. Feedback from NPE growers helps the Deltapine team determine which candidates to commercialize, according to a news release.
Highlights of the Class of ’21 variety candidates include:
• Stacked tolerances to both root-knot and reniform nematodes.
• Bacterial blight resistance.
• Dryland yield potential above current Deltapine DryTough varieties.
• Demonstrated high-yield potential versus leading commercial lines DP 1646 B2XF and Deltapine Class of ’20.
Class of ’21 candidates have also demonstrated outstanding fiber quality potential, continuing the upward performance trend in the company’s cotton offerings. One candidate being evaluated across the Cotton Belt has shown the ability to deliver a new level of staple length, strength and uniformity. In company testing prior to 2020, it consistently produced staple 1 to 2 lengths above DP 1646 B2XF, a variety known for high fiber quality.
Season-long and final feedback from NPE growers located in every region of the Cotton Belt will help determine the candidates selected for the Deltapine Class of ’21 varieties, which will be available for planting in 2021. The releases will be announced in December.