Success: It Starts with the Seed
It’s said that seed selection has the highest impact on yield potential, making or breaking the season before it even begins. Choosing right is paramount. This means not simply choosing any seed that’s proven successful, but choosing one that fits the specific needs of your fields— taking into account your weather, your soil types and your pest pressure. As you assess both your fields and historic yield, you’re already evaluating what worked well — and what didn’t — because data tells a story.
Variety selection is key
When choosing the right variety, key factors growers evaluate are the yield and fiber quality potential in a certain variety, followed by the weather conditions, maturity timing, and protection against weeds, insects and disease. Not only does the cotton need to withstand in-season pressures and weather concerns, but it also needs to perform as consistently as possible in even the toughest growing conditions.
“Growers don’t need to be reminded of the many factors out of their control,” said Steve Nichols, BASF Southern Region Agronomy Lead. “But variety selection? That’s something they can control. With help from BASF Agronomic Solutions Advisors and Agronomic Services Team’, growers can have peace of mind knowing they chose the right variety for their unique field conditions, backed by multiple years of performance data and field operations.”
A century of innovation
BASF knows that every grower’s field is different, even from the farm down the road. And with more than 125 years of combined innovation, FiberMax® and Stoneville® cotton brands are a great place to start when selecting the right seed. Here are some of the most successful varieties that growers have recently planted within the last year.
- Stoneville 4595 Bollgard® 3 XtendFlex® cotton: Consistent high yield performance on irrigated fields with good soil fertility3
- Stoneville 5091 Bollgard 3 XtendFlex cotton: A work horse variety that performs well on mixed soil types3
- Stoneville 4990 Bollgard 3 XtendFlex cotton: Proven performer in the fields3
- Stoneville 4993 Bollgard 3 XtendFlex cotton: Excellent bacterial blight resistance and excellent performance in the western Cotton Belt3
- FiberMax 1621 GL cotton: Strong emergence with high yield potential3
- FiberMax 1730 GLTP cotton: Yields well even in heat and offers protection against key insects with good tolerance to verticillium wilt and root knot nematodes along with bacterial blight resistance3
- FiberMax 2398 GLTP cotton: Excellent yielding variety with very good Verticillium wilt tolerance and bacterial blight resistance3
- FiberMax 2498 GLT cotton: Outstanding emergence, very strong yield potential variety in both irrigated and dryland production3
The future of cotton
With the introduction of Axant™ Flex herbicide tolerance technology and Axant Flex TwinLink® Plus Insect Control Technologies, BASF is the first and only to offer a quadruple herbicide trait stack in cotton in the U.S. market2 to help cotton growers gain control over yield-robbing, resistant weeds like Palmer amaranth. New Stoneville® cotton varieties with Axant Flex technology also incorporate three-gene insect control traits and protection from root-knot and reniform nematodes, as well as resistance to bacterial leaf blight and excellent tolerance to Verticillium wilt and other key diseases. Both are now bred into the best-in-class germplasm offered by BASF. This robust combination of traits delivers increased yield potential and protection from yield loss, even under pressure.
“The seven experimental varieties we’re evaluating this year have the strongest native trait packages of any offerings we’ve had in the history of FiberMax or Stoneville cotton,” said Nichols. “Robust research and development and cotton breeding programs have delivered on providing tolerance against reniform and root knot nematodes and resistance to certain diseases. This innovation will pave the way in protecting yields and improving the ability to get the most out of the genetics for high yield potential and excellent fiber quality.”
Innovation is at the root of high-quality seed solutions to help growers sustain their operation for generations to come. To learn more about high-performing varieties in your area, contact your local BASF agronomist or visit FiberMax.com or Stoneville.com.
1Seed selection is solely the responsibility of the grower. Grower should make seed selection decisions utilizing relevant information available to grower at the time seed selection is made, including, without limitation, tests, trials, practices, agronomic factors, and suitability of seed for the intended growth when used under grower’s local conditions. Under no circumstance should Information (as defined in footnote 3 below) provided by BASF be considered a recommendation or advice as to what seed to select and it is up to grower to determine to what extent, if any, grower should rely upon the Information provided by BASF.
2Availability of cottonseed containing the Axant Flex technology for the 2024 growing season and beyond is subject to many factors, and such seed may not be available in all cotton-growing areas. Commercial sales of cottonseed containing the Axant Flex technology will be subject to contractual terms and conditions and stewardship obligations, which may include among other requirements restrictions on where the crop resulting from such seed may be sold, transferred and/or exported. Alite 27 herbicide (EPA Reg. No. 7969-433) is not registered for use on isoxaflutole-tolerant cotton nor available for sale for such use. Information on using Alite 27 herbicide on isoxaflutole-tolerant cotton is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to promote the sale of this product. Any sale of Alite 27 herbicide after registration is obtained for use on isoxaflutole-tolerant cotton shall be based solely on the EPAapproved product label, and any claims regarding product safety and efficacy shall be addressed solely by the label.
After EPA approval of Alite 27 herbicide (EPA Reg. No. 7969-433) registration allowing use on isoxaflutole-tolerant cotton, Alite 27 herbicide may only be used on isoxaflutole-tolerant cotton. Crops not containing a gene expressing an HPPD protein will not be tolerant to Alite 27 herbicide.
3Individual results may vary. BASF strives to provide accurate and complete information, descriptions, content, illustrations, images, and data (collectively referred to here as “Information”) as such Information is reasonably available to BASF at time of compilation or disclosure. When the Information is based on experience with tests, trials, or practices, such Information is provided by BASF as closely as possible to such experiences. Information may also be based on general observations. However, BASF cannot guarantee the Information in any form whatsoever; therefore, the Information is provided on an “AS IS” basis and without any guarantee, either express or implied, including, without limitation, that the Information is accurate or complete. BASF does not accept any liability whatsoever in the cultivated product that differs from what was provided in or through the Information.
Always read and follow label directions.
Alite and Axant are trademarks and FiberMax and Stoneville are registered trademarks of BASF. Alite 27 is a US EPA Restricted Use Pesticide.© 2023 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.