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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #207800

Title: COMPARATIVE FIELD PERFORMANCE OF ACALA 1517 CULTIVARS RELEASED SINCE THE 1930S

Author
item ZHANG, J. - NMSU
item GATICA-PALERMO, H. - NMSU
item BAJAJ, S. - NMSU
item FLYNN, R. - NMSU
item FRENCH, C. - NMSU
item Hughs, Sidney
item CANTRELL, R. - COTTON INC.

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/11/2007
Publication Date: 1/11/2007
Citation: Zhang, J., Gatica-Palermo, H., Bajaj, S., Flynn, R.P., French, C.A., Hughs, S.E., Cantrell, R.G. 2007. Comparative field performance of Acala 1517 cultivars released since the 1930s. In: Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences, January 9-12, 2007, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2007 CDROM p. 625-636.

Interpretive Summary: Since 1906 the New Mexico State University Acala 1517 cotton breeding program has a long and productive germplasm development history. Even though Acala 1517 was bred for New Mexico growing conditions, many commercial US long staple upland varieties released have had Acala 1517 parentage. A field test was conducted during the 2005-2006 growing season to evaluate several production and quality factors of earlier Acala 1517 cultivars against current commercial Acala 1517 and other long staple upland varieties. This evaluation showed that there has been a gradual long term increase in fiber yield, certain fiber quality factors, and Verticillium wilt tolerance up to and including current commercial Acala 1517 varieties. The field test also showed that existing Acala 1517 germplasm has many desirable traits that will be useful for future cotton breeding programs.

Technical Abstract: Acala 1517 cotton cultivars released from the New Mexico State University Cotton Breeding Program and other Acala cotton cultivars mainly released from California were compared in Mesilla Valley (Las Cruces) and Pecos Valley (Artesia), NM, in 2006 for fiber yield, yield component, quality, and Verticillium wilt resistance. The combined 2005-2006 results confirmed our previous analysis that yield improvement in Acala 1517 cultivars has been accompanied by an increase in lint percentage and micronaire, and a reduction in boll size. Fiber length, strength, and elongation in Acala 1517 cultivars have also gradually improved. Verticillium wilt significantly reduced lint yield, boll size, fiber length and micronaire. More recently released Acala cotton cultivars performed better under Verticillium wilt conditions. Many Acala germplasm lines with desirable traits have been identified for cotton breeding purposes.