RELEASE OF TWO NEW TRANSGENIC HIGH YIELDING HYBRID COTTON CULTIVARS, CCRI63 AND CCRI66, IN THE YANGTZE RIVER VALLEY, CHINA

Two new transgenic hybrid cotton cultivars, CCRI63 (Zhong 001) and CCRI66 (Zhong CJ03B), both possessing exogenous genes Bt+CpTI, were jointly developed by Cotton Research Institute, Anyang and Biotechnology Research Institute, Beijing, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS). CCRI63 and CCRI66 were approved for release for commercial production in the Yangtze River Valley by the Ministry of Agriculture, China, in 2007 and 2008, respectively. CCRI63 and CCRI66 were evaluated by China National Cotton Cultivar Regional Tests in a total of 72 locations in the Yangtze River cotton-growing region during 2004-2005 and 2005-2006, respectively. Statistical analyses showed that both hybrids had the top average lint yields in that CCRI63 (1479 kg ha-1) had 10.0% higher yield than the standard Xiangzamian 2, while that CCRI66 (1566 kg ha-1) increased yield by 15.1% over the average of two standards Xiangzamian 2 and Xiangzamian 8. Both hybrids exhibited some good to excellent characteristics such as yield stability, early maturity, resistance to lepidopterous pests and Fusarium wilt and Verticillium wilt diseases, and  good fiber quality.