Comparison of Obsolete and Modern Cotton Cultivars for Irrigated Production in Arizona

Abstract

A study was conducted at the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center (MAC) to compare growth and development characteristics and determine differences in fruiting pattern and retention among two obsolete (Deltapine 16 and Acala 442) and three modern (Deltapine Acala 90, Deltapine 5415, and NuCotn 33b) Upland (G. hirsutum L.) cotton cultivars grown in an irrigated production system in Arizona. Results indicated that the majority of yield was produced at fruiting branches 10 through 18 at position one. Lint yield results indicated no significant differences among all cultivars tested, except for Acala 442, which was significantly lower than all others. Obsolete cultivars produced significantly higher amounts of lint on vegetative branches than modern varieties. Deltapine 16, followed by NuCotn 33b, had the highest harvest index and was the most efficient cultivar grown with respect to dry matter partitioning.