Evaluation location: Mississippi, United States
Accessions in maturity groups V through VIII, PI 566960 to PI 592914 (received between 1990 and 1994) were evaluated for descriptive characteristics, agronomic performance, and seed composition in Stoneville, Mississippi (Lat. 33o 26' N). Also included were cultivars in the same maturity groups, developed at public institutions in the United States and Canada, and released by 1994 and some accessions received earlier which had not been previously evaluated. All tests were replicated once per year. Plots were four rows wide, with rows 3.6 m long and 76 cm between rows and blocked by maturity group. Only the center two rows of each plot were harvested for yield. All accessions were planted again in single rows in 2004 to verify plant descriptors. Planting dates were May 14, 1996 and May 22, 1997. Plants flowered an average of 8 days later and matured 2 days later in 1997 than in 1996. Seed composition was analyzed at the USDA Northern Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, IL. Fatty acid composition was obtained by gas liquid chromatography of the methyl esters (Christie 1989; Bannon et al. 1982). Oil and protein for samples with yellow seed coats were analyzed using the near infrared method for whole-grain analysis (AACC Method 39-21). Protein concentrations for samples with colored or heavily mottled seed coats were obtained using the improved Kjeldahl method (AACC Method 46-16) and oil by the Butt Extraction method (AOCS Official Method Ac 3-44).