Dr. Carl V. Feaster, 89, the cotton breeder who developed modern American Pima cotton varieties, died last week in Tempe, Ariz.

Feaster was responsible for Pima varieties from Pima S-2 through Pima S-7, with each successive variety making quality and yield improvements.

Feaster was active in agricultural research for over 50 years. During this time, he worked with soybeans and hemp, but his career has been spent working predominantly with American Pima cotton. He was the leader of a research team that spanned basic and applied research in Pima cotton, Gossypium barbadense L. Feaster’s research efforts resulted in the release of six commercial Pima cultivars with improved yield and longer fibers which were planted on 100 percent of the Pima cotton acreage for over 40 years.

He also cooperated in agronomic studies which led to better cultural practices for the improved varieties, and in genetic studies which led to the discovery and description of an abnormal reproduction process called semigamy that provides a unique breeding method for greatly reducing the time required to breed commercial varieties.