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Varieties offer Verticillium wilt resistanceTwo early-season varieties from AFD cotton Seed offer resistance to Verticillium wilt, which is a wide-spread problem for cotton producers on the Southern Plains of West Texas. So says Terry Wheeler, Ph.D., plant pathologist for the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Lubbock. "The level of Verticillium wilt resistance of AFD5064F and AFD5065B2F is good and it's consistent across sites," she says. "In fact, I'd rate these two AFD varieties higher in resistance than any other Roundup Ready Flex varieties. "There are three sources of genetic resistance in varieties currently available to West Texas growers," she continues. "Those varieties include FiberMax 989 and 960 types, PM 2326 RR and DP 455BR. "In a year when it's hot and dry like last season, the incidence of Verticillium wilt is worse in pocketed areas of Hale, Lamb, Castro and maybe Floyd County. But I hate to single out these counties because Verticillium wilt is really a large scale problem and widely spread all across the Southern Plains of West Texas." Variety selection is key to addressing Verticillium wilt issues. Wheeler reports that yields can be significantly impacted by Verticillium wilt. In a hot, dry year like 2006, she reports seeing a two-fold difference in yield--as much as 800 to 1600 pounds in a field where Verticillium wilt is a problem. "Bayer BioScience's breeding program is focused on screening for disease tolerance and delivering varieties with high yield potential and premium fiber quality," says Steve Nichols, Ph.D., director of agronomic services for FiberMax cotton and AFD. "In a number of public and private trials across the Southern Plains last season, we observed a good level of Verticillium resistance in AFD5064F and AFD5065B2F. We also found significant yield advantages for these value-priced AFD varieties compared to other, more typical competitive brands." The screening and new variety testing programs managed by Bayer include both dryland and irrigated trials. In the variety testing program managed by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station at Lubbock, there are a total of six sites per year (12 sites over two years). The incidence of Verticillium wilt is greater in irrigated fields, year-in and year-out. For more information, circle X on the Reader Reply Coupon, or call 816-891-8845. C 4 4/30/07 None Date: 4/24/07
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