Each year we participate in the UGA On-Farm Cotton Variety Evaluation Program. Through this program Extension Agents partner with a local cotton grower to put in a cotton variety trial on the farm. Cooperating growers, County Agents and Specialists get the opportunity to see how new and existing cotton varieties perform on the local level with normal grower input & management. The local trial this year was in Jeff Davis County. Though cotton yields were down across the board we did see 5 varieties in our Irrigated trial yield over 1200 pounds per acre. They were: DP 1747, PHY 444, CG 3885, ST 6182 and DP 1538.
Statewide there were 10 irrigated locations and 9 dryland for a total of 19 on-farm locations. You can see the preliminary results from the Evaluation Program here: 2017 On-Farm Variety Program Preliminary Data
When choosing cotton varieties for the coming growing season it’s important to look at multiple years of data and to divide your risk across more than one variety. You can take a look at data from previous years and also use the variety selection tool at this site: https://www.ugacotton.com/cotton-variety-selection/
To place the right variety in the right field take note of, planting date and water availability. Using multiple varieties on your farm ensures that you will have ample opportunity to produce yield if something out of the ordinary goes wrong with one variety.