Cotton Varieties and Biotechnology

Cotton variety development has been undergoing changes for many years. Cotton yields have tended to increase over long periods of time through traditional breeding techniques. However, biotechnology advances in conjunction with traditional methods have changed the course of today’s production methods. The first genetically engineered cotton variety to be introduced into the market was Delta and Pine Land’s ‘DP 33B’, a Bt variety resistant to tobacco bud worms. The introduction in 1996 was a success and essentially saved the cotton industry in some areas of the southeastern U.S. where pyrethroid resistance was devastating the crop.

The pipeline of biotechnology was full and varieties were introduced rapidly after the success of the Bt was realized. The introduction of bromoxynil resistance followed by glyphosate resistance was a milestone in cotton production history. No longer did producers have to rely upon cultivation or hand-weeding to control weeds. Labor forces and equipment were reduced and producers had the ability to farm large acreages in less time. Technologies delivered through the seed include weed control through glyphosate and glufosinate resistance and insect control through various worm resistance mechanisms. In addition, numerous fungicides and insecticides are delivered via seed treatments, replacing more traditional methods of applications.

The biotechnology advances did not come without cost. In recent years, cotton production costs are now “front loaded” where technology fees, seed costs, and seed treatments have replaced many of the “in-season” input costs. Due to market conditions, producers are faced with a limited number of conventional varieties and a large number of choices of genetically-engineered selections. The resulting situation has occurred in part due to the rapid adoption of the newly developed technologies packaged within the seed. Weed resistance due to overuse of glyphosate and other herbicides in some areas of the country have producers, crop advisors, research, and extension personnel searching for ways to preserve the technology.

In addition to private industry trials, university personnel in each state in the U.S. cotton belt conduct variety trials on experiment stations. Extension agents and specialists conduct on-farm testing through the support of many producer groups. The results allow producers to choose their varieties based on unbiased research conducted on soils and sites similar to their farms. Visit your state’s trial results for more information on the performance of cotton varieties in your region.