New Varieties Have Root-Knot Nematode Resistance
PhytoGen plans to have two new cottonseed varieties, PHY 400 W3FE and PHY 500 W3FE, available for the 2020 season. The varieties exceeded criteria for commercial advancement after on-farm evaluations were completed by more than 75 PhytoGen Horizon Network growers this year.
All PhytoGen W3FE varieties available in 2020 have PhytoGen Breeding Traits for built-in protection against diseases and pests.
PHY 400 W3FE is a mid-maturing, medium-height, semi-smooth leaf variety that performs well on irrigated and non-irrigated land. A Southeast PHN farmer reports that it packed on fruit and responded well to plant growth regulators.
As growers discovered this year, PHY 400 W3FE is manageable and responds well to higher inputs and productive soils. It also has PhytoGen Breeding Traits for bacterial blight and root-knot nematode resistance.
The new variety has also performed well in Official Variety Trials across the Cotton Belt in 2019. In preliminary data of the combined trials in Central and South Texas (three Monster and 16 RACE trials), for example, it outyielded competitors by 66 pounds per acre — $38 per acre — while winning highest lint value outright in nine of 23 trials.
The mid- to full-maturing newcomer, PHY 500 W3FE, is one of the most consistent PhytoGen cotton varieties available. It fits across a wide range of soil types from the Mid-Atlantic to the Southeast and across West Texas. PHY 500 W3FE is a top-yielding, smooth-leaf variety with excellent fiber characteristics, including micronaire, strength and staple.
For farmers who have root-knot nematodes, the RKN resistance in both varieties is a major benefit.
Tax Credit Tied To Irrigation
Some Alabama farmers could see a tax break, thanks to a new tax credit. It allows a farmer to count certain costs associated with irrigation, including fuel conversions, equipment and reservoirs, on their income taxes.
Only qualified irrigation systems or reservoirs are eligible. Producers must have filled out an annual information report with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries to qualify.
Eligible taxpayers can claim one credit for qualifying equipment purchased and installed during five-year periods. These periods are 2012-17, 2018-22, and 2023 and thereafter.
To learn more, go to www.aces.edu.
Cotton Breeders Added To Staff
Americot Inc. is expanding the company’s cotton seed breeding team, adding four new staff members.
Laura Barham grew up on a family farm in Bonita, Louisiana, growing cotton, corn, soybeans and produce. Over the past 14 years, she was with Stoneville brand cotton seed, working in cotton breeding and testing in the Mississippi Delta. Based in Hollandale, Mississippi, Laura joins Americot as an associate breeder.
Jody Butler has been working in the cotton industry for more than 20 years, starting out with Stoneville Seed Co. in 1995. Most recently, he was the southeast testing manager with Bayer/BASF. Butler joins Americot’s breeding team as the senior testing manager and is based in Albany, Georgia.
Stephen Follis was born and raised in the Lubbock, Texas, area. Since 2005, he has worked in cotton and ag-related research, most recently for Bayer Crop Science, where he was a research specialist. Follis is based in Lubbock and joins Americot as the breeding lab manager.
Luis Duran-Ortiz was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He started with Pioneer in 2002 on the firm’s four-generation trait introgression. Based in San Juan, Luis joins Americot as the breeding manager for the newly established breeding station there.
LATMC Conference Scheduled
The Louisiana Agricultural Technology & Management Conference sponsored by the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association is Feb. 12-14 at Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, Louisiana.
This conference provides recertification of consultant and commercial applicator licenses. CCA CEUs are also available. The preliminary program is posted at www.laca1.org. Contact Denise Wright, LACA executive director at denise@laca1.org or 337-945-3694 for more information.
Deltapine Names Class of ’20
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 launch of Deltapine’s Class of ’20.
“The Class of ’20 is the strongest class of varieties since starting the Deltapine New Product Evaluator Program in 2008,” says Keylon Gholston, Deltapine cotton products manager.
The new Deltapine varieties combine the 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.
Here are the four broadly adapted varieties:
• 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.
For the tough growing regions of Texas, the Class of ’20 features two solid products for both dryland and irrigated ground:
• DP 2044 B3XF, a mid-maturity variety with excellent seedling vigor and bacterial blight resistance that will join the DryTough program lineup for West Texas.
• DP 2022 B3XF, an early to mid-maturity variety with Vertilcillium wilt tolerance and bacterial blight resistance.
Deltapine Class of ’20 varieties will be in limited launch-year seed supplies for 2020.