Variety selection is the most important decision made during the year. Unlike herbicide or insecticide decisions that can be changed during the season to address specific conditions and pests, variety selection is made only once, and variety selection dictates the management of a field for the entire season. Variety decisions should be based on genetics first and transgenic technology second. Attention should be focused on agronomic characteristics such as yield, maturity, and fiber quality when selecting varieties.
To assist Texas cotton producers in remaining competitive in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Blacklands, South Texas/Wintergarden, and Upper Coastal regions (Figure 1), the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service-Cotton Agronomy program has been conducting, large plot, on-farm, replicated variety trials for the past eleven years. This approach provides a good foundation of information that can be utilized to assist the variety selection process, where all companies have the opportunity to participate. These trials occur on producer’s farms and are managed by the producers.
Seventeen Replicated Agronomic Cotton Evaluation (RACE) Trials and one Monster Trial were harvested in 2018 with several lost or impacted by extended rain that began to fall during the fall and herbicide injury. I am happy to share with you the results of the 2018 cotton trials. Wharton County had two RACE trials in Wharton County in 2018, Trial 1 and Trial 2. Trial 1 was a dryland plot and Trial 2 was irrigated.
Corrie Bowen, MS
County Extension Agent – Agriculture
Wharton County
315 E. Milam, Suite 112
Wharton, Texas 77488
(979) 532-3310
