Field tested. Proven performance. Trusted to deliver.
The cotton industry is evolving – climate, market demand, management processes and technology advancements necessitate Australian growers and CSD to remain on the front foot, growing a high-quality product that’s sought after, sustainable and profitable.
That’s why we’ve invested in developing new varieties, built for the conditions you face. The Try Before You Buy trials arm you with local variety performance data and insights to help inform your on-farm decision making and plant new seed varieties with confidence.
Trial location: Byee, QLD
Trial commenced: October 2024
Establishment snapshot:
| Establishment | Detail |
| Establishment Method | Irrigation |
| Previous Crop | Sorghum |
| Seeding Rate (seeds/m) | 18 |
| Final Plant Stand (plants/m) | 13 |
| Establishment % | 73% |
| Field Condition Score (1–5) | 2 |
Results:
- Planting conditions were generally favourable. All varieties emerged at a similar rate.
- Retention was very high from first flower, dropping only to 80% primary retention.
- Irrigation was scheduled using Sentek moisture probes. In this trial field, the probe was in the Sicot 761B3XF section. Five irrigators were used with no significant differences in water demand observed between the three varieties.
- Fertiliser treatment was kept consistent between all varieties. Overall pest pressure was low early in the season.
- Mirids were sprayed once when numbers persisted and reached threshold. Green Vegetable Bugs were sprayed once towards the end of the season. No significant difference in pest numbers was observed between varieties.
- Both new varieties (XtendFlex™ Siokra 253B3XF and Sicot 761B3XF) outperformed the Sicot 748B3F – by 15% for Sicot 761B3XF and by 19% for Siokra 253B3XF.
- Turnout figures were affected by some leaf sticking from first defoliation.
First flower snapshot:
| Metric | Value | ||
| Days After Planting | 748 – 64 | 761 – 61 | 253 – 63 |
| Day Degrees – 1532 | 584 | 567 | 584 |
| Plant Height (cm) | 68 | 69 | 71 |
| NAWF | 8.5 | 8.6 | 8 |
| Total Nodes | 15.7 | 16.3 | 15.7 |
| Fruit Retention (%) | 94 | 94.6 | 92 |
Nutrition and pest management:
| Input Type | Amount / Timing |
| Nitrogen (Pre/Post) | 184 (94 pre, 94 post) |
| Phosphorus / K / Zn | 16/37/0.8 |
| Insecticide Sprays | 2 |
| Herbicides Used | 2 |
Yield and fibre quality:
|
Variety |
Yield (b/ha) |
Turnout (%) |
Length |
Strength |
Mic |
|
Sicot 748B3F |
8.68 |
41.6 |
39 |
28.8 |
4.1 |
|
Sicot 761B3XF |
10.04 |
42.9 |
39 |
28.3 |
4.3 |
|
Siokra 253B3XF |
10.35 |
42.8 |
38 |
30.2 |
4 |
End of season snapshot:
| Metric | Value | ||
| Final Plant Height (cm) | 748 – 115 | 761 – 106 | 253 – 113 |
| Total Nodes | 24 | 23 | 24 |
| Squaring Nodes | 18 | 16 | 17 |
| Boll Count (bolls/m) | 147 | 135 | 137 |
| Boll Weight (g) | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.5 |
| Defoliation Dates | 14th April 2025 | ||
| Picking Date | 9th May 20255 | ||
Grower feedback:
“Both new varieties were impressive in their growth habit and yield advantage over the previous preferred variety (Sicot 748B3F). In the coming season, the majority of the planned plant will be Sicot 761B3XF and Siokra 253B3XF.”
Our thanks to the growers, Dave and Tom Gooding, who participated in the Try Before You Buy trials.
If you are interested in becoming a trial co-operator or would like to know more about the trial conducted at Dalby, contact Chris Barry on 0491 212 705.
