Yield performance and fiber quality of pima cotton grown in the southeast United States

Authors: HOLLADAY, SARAH - Clemson University; BRIDGES, WILLIAM - Clemson University; JONES, MICHAEL - Clemson University; Campbell, Benjamin - Todd

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/26/2021
Publication Date: 3/19/2021
Citation: Holladay, S., Bridges, W., Jones, M., Campbell, B.T. 2021. Yield performance and fiber quality of pima cotton grown in the southeast United States. Crop Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20505.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20505

Interpretive Summary: Commercial production of pima cotton in the US is currently limited to the western US and Texas. Prior to the 1930s, pima cotton was produced in coastal regions of the southeast US. However, in an effort to escape yield and economic losses due to the boll weevil which invaded the US in the 1920s, production of long-season pima cotton was eliminated and shifted to shorter-season upland cotton. Today, the value of pima cotton fiber is nearly double that of upland cotton. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of cultivating pima cotton in the southeast US with improvements in genetics and production practices. We evaluated the agronomic performance, fiber quality, and net economic return of 48 pima genotypes in field trials conducted during 2018 and 2019 in Florence, SC, compared to two popular commercial upland cultivars. We also evaluated the impact of ginning method (saw vs. roller) on fiber quality. On average, in comparison to upland cotton, lint yield of pima genotypes was reduced by half. However, most of the pima genotypes produced higher fiber quality fibers compared to the upland checks. Surprisingly, ginning method appeared to have little impact on fiber quality. Net return analysis revealed no significant differences among several of the higher-yielding, higher fiber quality pima genotypes and the upland genotypes in this study, indicating that the reintroduction of a pima production system in the southeast US may be feasible.

Technical Abstract: Commercial production of pima cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) in the US is currently limited to the western US and Texas. Prior to the 1930s, pima cotton was produced in coastal regions of the southeast US. However, in an effort to escape yield and economic losses due to the boll weevil (Anthonmus grandis grandis Boh.) which invaded the US in the 1920s, production of long-season pima cotton was eliminated and shifted to shorter-season upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Today, the value of pima cotton fiber is nearly double that of upland cotton. We hypothesized that pima cotton can be successfully cultivated in the southeast US due to the eradication of the boll weevil along with improvements in genetics and production practices. We evaluated the agronomic performance, fiber quality, and net economic return of 48 pima genotypes in field trials conducted during 2018 and 2019 in Florence, SC, compared to two popular commercial upland cultivars. We also evaluated the impact of ginning method (saw vs. roller) on fiber quality. On average, in comparison to upland cotton, lint yield of pima genotypes was reduced by half. However, most of the pima genotypes produced higher fiber quality fibers compared to the upland checks. Surprisingly, ginning method appeared to have little impact on fiber quality. Net return analysis revealed no significant differences among several of the higher-yielding, higher fiber quality pima genotypes and the upland genotypes in this study, indicating that the reintroduction of a pima production system in the southeast US may be feasible.