Today's Crop Improvement Conference will include a new method for measuring variety maturity.  Delta and Pine Land Company's technical services department developed the heat unit (DD60) based system introduced by regional agronomist Tom Speed.

Speed describes the method saying, "This rating scale is based on some of the plant monitoring measurements the cotton industry has been using. However, the measurements are compared among varieties to determine the relative differences.

"Using this method, we estimate the number of additional heat units (DD 60s) required to open all the harvestable first position bolls," Speed adds. "The estimate is made by counting the nodes or branches between the node of the uppermost first position open or cracked boll (NUCB) and the node of the uppermost harvestable boll (NUHB).  The numerical difference between the NUHB and the NUCB is multiplied by 50 to estimate the number of additional heat units required to open all first position, harvestable bolls."

Delta and Pine Land agronomists are using this method to rate varieties included in the company's and public field trials.  It is particularly helpful in developing the relative maturity rating for new germplasm releases. 

Speed explains saying, "As we introduce new varieties through meetings like yesterday's new developments session and the many grower meetings we hold, this relative maturity is something that enables us to provide a more objective, quantifiable means of maturity rating.  This is the type of information farmers can use as they select varieties for their farm and as they manage those varieties in-season." 

Delta and Pine Land Company is a commercial breeder, producer and marketer of cotton planting seed, as well as soybean seed in the Cotton Belt.  For almost 90 years, the Company has used its extensive cotton plant breeding programs drawing from a diverse germplasm base to develop improved varieties.  Delta and Pine Land (NYSE:  DLP), headquartered in Scott, Mississippi, has offices in eight states and facilities in several foreign countries.