This was the question asked of North Star dryland grower Ben Coulton by his classer, suspecting a paper-work error, when he started processing his samples of Sicala 350B.

It is not difficult to see where the confusion came from: lengths for 40 32nds of an inch, strength greater than 34 grams/tex and micronaire in the low four range ae numbers that irrigated growers dream about, let alone in dryland.

Mr Coulton grew 90 hectares of Sicala 350B this season at Getta Getta, achieving a yield of 3.6 bales per hectare and a quality premium.

The decision to grow Sicala 350B was based on Ben’s 2005-06 large-scale replicated variety trial where in a very dry season, it was the only variety to make base grade.

CSD extension and development agronomist David Kelly said data from the past two season’s trials at Getta Getta was an excellent illustration of how the dryland Bollgard II variety suite performed in the best and worst of seasons.

"The 2006-07 season’s trial was planted on a 90 percent full soil profile, the season was very hot and there was virtually no useful in-crop rainfall. The 2007-08 plant had about 150mm of timely in-crop rain, it was much milder, and its yield and quality tell the story.

"When you do the financials on these two seasons, Siokra 24B is in front on average because of its high yield and its quality; even in the dry season it was better than most”.

"Looking specifically at 2006-07, Sicala 350B was the only variety not to get any quality discounts, hence grossed the most dollars per hectare, despite a lower yield."

"From this data, its makes good sense for dryland growers to use a mix of varieties, such as Siokra 24B and Sicala 350B, as a risk management strategy," Mr Kelly said.

Ben Coulton is including some of his dryland Sicala 350B cotton in the 2008 Premium Cotton Pilot Project, coordinated by CRDC, aimed at testing and forging markets to deliver premium prices for premium quality cotton.

Source: Australian Cotton Outlook, out June 12.