"Delta and Pine Land Company has continually developed and successfully marketed transgenic and conventional cotton varieties in a wide maturity range," says Dr. Ken Lege’, D&PL’s director of technical service for the Eastern Region. "All of our transgenic products are derived from backcrosses from our best conventional germplasm, and because cotton growers across the Belt continue to demand conventional varieties, we remain committed to the development of new conventional varieties. Planting varieties of different maturity can potentially minimize the risks associated with weather and other environmental factors beyond the grower’s control."

DeltaPEARL is a mid-full maturity variety that is primarily adapted to the southern tier of the Cotton Belt, but has shown outstanding performance as a full-season variety in the upper Southeast (N.C. and northern S.C.). This variety has out-performed all other major conventional mid-full varieties throughout the Beltwide in terms of lint yields. It has exhibited excellent yield and fiber qualities, and its crop values are superior to other conventional mid-full season competitor varieties.

Beltwide averages for DeltaPEARL’s staple length are superior to most of the competitor varieties. Strength values are slightly lower than the comparison varieties, although microaire tends to be equal to or less than those of the comparison varieties across the region.

DeltaPEARL also has an impressive disease tolerance package that includes tolerance to Fusarium and Verticillium wilts and resistance to bacterial blight, race 18. Seed supplies for the 2001 growing season are expected to be limited due to demand.

DeltaPEARL was developed at D&PL’s Australian cotton breeding program under the direction of Dr. Richard Leske. It was developed from a cross made in 1989 between DP 5816 and Sicala 34 at Casa Grande, Ariz.

DP 565 is a full-maturity high-yielding variety that is tall-growing, has smooth leaves, good seedling vigor and good storm resistance. Seed size ranges from 5000 to 5500 seed per pound. The variety has good Verticillium tolerance, excellent staple length and good strength, micronaire, leaf grade and uniformity values. Although DP 565 is better adapted to the southwestern and western regions, it is widely adapted and has performed well across a large geographic area, including the southern tier of the Cotton Belt, as well as the upper Southeast, Southwest and western regions. This variety out-performed all other comparison varieties except DeltaPEARL. Supplies of DP 565 will be adequate for the 2001 growing season.

DP 565 originated from a cross between Deltapine 6100 Acala and Georgia King in 1991 at Casa Grande under the direction of Larry P. Burdett. The Acala background in DP 565 contributes to its superior fiber quality.

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 more than 80 years, the Mississippi-based company has drawn from its diverse germplasm base to breed superior plant varieties. Delta and Pine Land has offices in seven states and facilities in several foreign countries and trades under the NYSE symbol DLP.

Table: Characteristics of DeltaPEARL and DP 565

*Beltwide averages over years; values in parentheses indicate the number of observations for each parameter for each variety.