Assessing Growth Potential and Response to PGRs of New Cotton Varieties in NC

Modern cotton varieties differ greatly in regard to growth potential and response to plant growth regulators (PGRs). The NC On-Farm Cotton Variety Evaluation Program, which began in 2015 and is implemented by county agents in producers’ fields across the state, has established a means of evaluating these parameters across a broad range of environments. During 2015, plant height was evaluated in nine environments, and seedling vigor was evaluated in five environments. In one of these trials, the response of all 10 varieties to PGRs was assessed. This information allows producers to quickly learn the growth potential and PGR response of these new varieties as they come to market, so that they are managed appropriately.