Beltwide Cotton Conferences Focused on Technology Transfer

The 2017 Beltwide Cotton Conferences (BWCC) in Dallas focused on research of new and existing products and technologies and the transfer of these to producers through consultants, Extension, allied industry and others directly involved in assisting producers with crop production and marketing decisions.

More than 1,000 attended the NCC-coordinated forum, which included a day and a half Consultants Conference and 10 Cotton Technical Conference sessions. More than two-thirds of the attendees represented the research/Extension community, industry experts and students.

In the BWCC’s Cotton Economic Outlook Symposium, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) provided via video an update on agricultural policy issues, including cottonseed as an ‘other oilseed.’ The video is on the NCC’s You Tube site at www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSqbGNcTzTY.

The 2017 BWCC recorded presentations and proceedings will be distributed to attendees early to mid-May.

In addition, Dr. Peng Chee, a professor of Cotton Molecular Genetics/Breeding at the University of Georgia’s Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, received the 2016 Cotton Genetics Research Award. The announcement was made at the 2017 Beltwide Cotton Improvement Conference. In recognition, Dr. Chee received a plaque and a monetary award.

One of his nominators, Dr. Andrew Paterson, a University of Georgia research professor and head of its Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory in Athens, said Dr. Chee has had numerous successes, among them advancing scientists’ understanding of the genetics of nematode resistance. He said Dr. Chee has released advanced germplasm developed using both conventional breeding and DNA marker based methods.

Another nominator, Dr. Don Jones, director of Agricultural Research at Cotton Incorporated, said cotton producers have benefited from newly released commercial varieties resistant to root-knot nematode based on findings from Dr. Chee’s research. He said a variety that Dr. Chee developed in 2016 and licensed to one of the leading cottonseed providers is proof that “his research drives innovations in both the science and grower communities.”

U.S. commercial cotton breeders have presented the Cotton Genetics Research Award annually since 1961 to a scientist for outstanding basic research in cotton genetics. The Joint Cotton Breeding Committee, comprised of representatives from state experiment stations, USDA, private breeders, Cotton Incorporated and the NCC, establishes award criteria.