Evaluation of Production and Profitability of Transgenic and Conventional Cotton in Dryland Production Systems on the Texas High Plains

On the Texas High Plains, there is increasing interest in conventional varieties on dryland acres. While transgenic cotton revolutionized the cotton industry, the Texas Panhandle does not have the intense insect pressure that affects many of the other cotton production regions of the state. Consequently, local producers are questioning the necessity of costly seed packages especially on dryland and limited irrigated acreage. While producers recognize the increased production and quality achieved with new, improved cotton varieties, many producers also recognize that the greatest profit is not necessarily achieved with greatest production; especially on dryland acres. To date, there is not any regional data evaluating performance of conventional versus commercial transgenic cotton under their respective management regimes.