Registration of ‘Acala 1517‐21’ Cotton Cultivar

Abstract

AbstractThe New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station announces the release of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivar ‘Acala 1517‐21’ (Reg. no. CV‐144, PI 693757). Acala 1517‐21 was derived from a single plant selection in F3 from a bi‐parental cross between LA05307029 and AU‐5491. This new cultivar was tested in eight replicated field trials in New Mexico in 2012–2017 and 21 tests across 12 states of the Cotton Belt in 2016–2017. In New Mexico, Acala 1517‐21 yielded similarly to medium‐staple cultivars or transgenic commercial Acala cultivars including ‘PHY 725 RF’, ‘PHY 755 WRF’, ‘PHY 764 WRF’, ‘FM 2322GL’, and ‘FM 1830GLT’. Compared with ‘Acala 1517‐08’, Acala 1517‐21 averaged 12.9% higher lint yield and 11.5% higher lint percentage, with a similar boll weight, fiber length, length uniformity, elongation, micronaire, and short fiber content. However, Acala 1517‐21 had similar or slightly lower fiber strength with significantly lower strength and elongation in one test. Compared with commercial transgenic and nontransgenic cultivars across the Cotton Belt, Acala 1517‐21 had consistently longer and stronger fibers or lower micronaire readings. Acala 1517‐21 represents a high‐yielding upland cotton cultivar with high lint percentage and a long staple.