BASF advances new FiberMax cotton seed variety for 2020

Over the past year, as part of the BASF Agronomic Performance Trial (APT) program, growers have been testing cottonseed varieties on their farms to help meet some of their most difficult challenges. BASF announced at its second annual APT Summit this week the advancement of one new FiberMax cotton seed variety for the 2020 season – FiberMax 2202GL.

“In dryland or under irrigation, FM 2202GL brings high yield potential and good fiber quality potential, even under pressure from Verticillium wilt,” says Kenny Melton, Western Region agronomic manager with BASF. “With good tolerance to drought and outstanding Verticillium wilt tolerance, this new variety will be an excellent fit in the High Plains.”

In addition to the advancement of FM 2202GL, BASF wants to remind growers of the three new Stoneville cotton seed varieties released in mid-2019: ST 4990B3XF, ST 5610B3XF and ST 4480B3XF.

“We’ve seen some really great performance in the 2019 season with all three varieties, both across the Cotton Belt and in more regional-specific areas,” says Scott Asher, Eastern Region agronomic manager at BASF.

As growers enter the 2020 season, selecting varieties with good seed quality and early season vigor are important considerations to help ensure a strong start to the season.

“ST 4990B3XF is a variety that we see fitting a broad footprint across the Cotton Belt,” says Asher. “It has shown strong performance on the high-producing ground in the Delta, across to the Mid-Atlantic and down to the Southeast. It’s also performed well in the Rolling Plains of Texas and on irrigated ground in Oklahoma.” Asher says for growers on high-production ground, the variety is easy to manage in terms of growth and development, even under intense management on these acres. ST 4990B3XF also provides the strong emergence and early-season vigor growers have come to expect from Stoneville varieties, which is crucial when planting early or when establishing a stand under stressful conditions.

“ST 4990B3XF is a variety that we see fitting a broad footprint across the Cotton Belt,” says Asher. “It has shown strong performance on the high-producing ground in the Delta, across to the Mid-Atlantic and down to the Southeast. It’s also performed well in the Rolling Plains of Texas and on irrigated ground in Oklahoma.”

Asher says for growers on high-production ground, the variety is easy to manage in terms of growth and development, even under intense management on these acres. ST 4990B3XF also provides the strong emergence and early-season vigor growers have come to expect from Stoneville varieties, which is crucial when planting early or when establishing a stand under stressful conditions.

For those in the full-season, non-irrigated areas of the Southeast where limited moisture can often occur, ST 5610B3XF has demonstrated the yield stability a grower is looking for under those stressful conditions. The variety has also shown the ability to produce a good stalk under difficult and dry conditions, but has also responded well to management when more favorable conditions occurred.

“With its plant type, boll type and maturity, ST 4480B3XF is suited well for the shorter growing season areas of West Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas,” says Melton. “However, in testing it has also performed well in the Northern Delta, especially in areas where late planting occurred and its early maturity helped to produce a successful crop.”