Americot, Inc., is introducing AM 1550 B2RF, a new cotton with outstanding yield potential. It will be available for the 2008 season and is targeted for north Mississippi River Delta area growers.

“Americot's new AM 1550 B2RF, which has performed very well from Clarksdale, Miss., north in the upper Mississippi River Delta, has the potential to be a yielding machine,” says Dale Logan, Americot territory manager for the Mid-South and Southeast.

“This unique Bollgard II/Roundup Ready Flex cotton is another example of Americot's commitment to Mid-South cotton growers.

“This variety has been in breeder trials in 46 locations for the last two years and it finished as the No. 1 yielder in Tennessee, north Arkansas and Missouri, averaging 1,400 pounds per acre.”

Americot has expanded its OVT testing of AM 1550 B2RF in four states across the South. Three, 20-acre test plots are located in Tennessee, one in Missouri, one in northeast Arkansas and one in North Carolina. Seed production is under way in Arizona.

AM 1550 B2RF is a bit later in maturity than AM 1532 B2RF and it is a semi-smooth leaf cotton. Its average staple length is 35.6; strength, 27.5; and micronaire, 4.5.

“I have seen a rapid grower acceptance of the Bollgard II and Flex technologies since they have been introduced,” Logan says. “When I ride around with growers, they tell me that Flex is the way to go on weed control and that Bollgard II provides excellent broad-spectrum worm control, which is especially critical in the Mid-South.

“It looks as if our long, hard work of variety testing in the Mid-South and upper Delta is finally paying off for the region's growers,” Logan adds. “Americot conducts its own variety development program. We are evaluating several lines this season and have the potential to introduce one or two more new products in 2008 targeted for the Mid-South.”

Germplasm that Americot recently acquired from Delta and Pine Land will be used to develop new cotton products for the Mid-South, Southeast and the Southwest regions. This germplasm will complement Americot's cotton portfolio that includes the widely adapted AM 1532 B2RF, which is a Bollgard II/Roundup Ready Flex variety.

Americot has one of the largest germplasm bases available to which it can combine the latest and best biotechnology traits from across the world to benefit U.S. growers. The company has the freedom to stack anybody's technology traits in future varieties.

In 2008, Americot will launch two new Bollgard II with Roundup Ready Flex products and three new Roundup Ready Flex products.

For more information on Americot cotton products, call (888) 678-7333 or go to www.americot.com.