Extra Long Staple Upland Cotton.

An objective of U.S. cotton breeding programs is to provide raw material that processes  efficiently and produces better textile products,  without compromising  yield. Annual  domestic consumption dropped from 10.4 million bales in 1998 to 5.5 million bales in 2007.  Exports increased from 4.3 to 16.2 million bales. Increased reliance on export markets will require the U.S. to compete more effectively in price and quality. The desired minimum UHM fiber length in international markets is 28 mm while the traditional U.S. minimum is 27 mm. To compete at this higher UHM length expectation, breeding programs should target minimums well above the international base. ELS upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) germplasm lines were developed by the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University as part of an effort to create germplasm  with combinations of improved fiber quality, especially UHM fiber length and fiber bundle strength. These ELS upland lines exhibit HVI UHM fiber length greater than 32.0 mm, and several strains exceed  34.8 mm, which is the minimum UHM for pima (G. barbadense L.). These ELS strains range in agronomic performance from less than to equal to Fiber Max 832 (PI 603955). TAM 94L-25 (PI  631440) or its full sib 90 L-2 (unreleased) is the common parent in five families exhibiting ELS fiber lengths.