• Does genetic development affect cotton lint quality in Argentina?
  • Although previous studies have examined different trends in cotton lint yield, lint quality parameters, and other agronomic traits of cultivars over time, there have been no investigations in Argentina analyzing the genetic progress in the different components of technological fiber quality, cottonseed oil and protein composition.
  • Do Argentine cotton varieties have fiber and seed quality parameters?
  • This study quantified and reported the values of fiber and seed quality paraments in both current and obsolete Argentine cotton varieties across different seasons and sowing dates. Oil content was the only quality parameter that increased in Argentine cotton varieties released from 1965 to the present.
  • What is the Argentine cotton breeding program?
  • The Argentine cotton breeding program began in 1923 in Saenz Pe?a (Chaco province) with the general objective of obtaining and promoting the improvement of lint yield and quality parameters in cultivars adapted to the different cotton regions of Argentina ( Royo et al., 2007 ).
  • Does the commercialization of cotton in Argentina affect fiber quality?
  • Moreover, it is important to note that the commercialization of cotton in Argentina does not take into account the HVI fiber quality parameters, which likely have negative impact on fiber quality.
  • Does oil content affect Argentine cotton quality?
  • Oil content was the only quality parameter that increased in Argentine cotton varieties released from 1965 to the present. Despite this limited genetic progress across all quality traits, the other parameters evaluated did not show any decrease.
  • Where are INTA cotton seeds obtained?
  • Seeds were provided by the INTA cotton germplasm bank, which is located at Saenz Pe?a, Chaco. Each genotype was selected by the following criteria: i) release date, ii) relevance for INTA cotton breeding program, and iii) popularity among farmers as described by Delss¨ªn (2003).