Brazil launches high-yield cotton varieties to reduce crop losses

Brazil has introduced two new cotton varieties designed to combine high yield potential with greater resistance to some of the main diseases and nematodes affecting the crop.

Developed by state agricultural research agency Embrapa, the BRS 510 B2RF and BRS 810 B3RF varieties are being presented to growers during the 15th Brazilian Cotton Congress, held in Belo Horizonte from September 22 to 24. The event brings together producers, researchers and companies from across the country’s cotton industry.

The two cultivars are aimed at reducing production losses while maintaining high yields across different growing environments, including some of Brazil’s main cotton-producing regions.

BRS 510 reaches about 7,500 kg per hectare

The BRS 510 B2RF has an average yield of around 7,500 kilograms per hectare in the first crop and more than 5,300 kg/ha in the second crop, according to Embrapa.

The variety is resistant to both root-knot and reniform nematodes and has multiple resistance to major cotton diseases, particularly ramularia leaf spot. It also incorporates Bollgard II RRFlex technology, which provides protection against caterpillars and tolerance to glyphosate.

Embrapa recommends the cultivar for high-yield commercial areas, including farms with a history of disease or nematode pressure, in Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Bahia, Ceará, Tocantins and Paraná. It is also adapted to sandier soils.

The combination of higher yield potential and resistance to production risks could help growers limit losses in areas where pests and diseases place greater pressure on crop performance.

BRS 810 combines yields with fiber quality

The BRS 810 B3RF posts average yields of around 7,300 kg/ha in the first crop and 5,245 kg/ha in the second, while offering resistance to root-knot nematodes, ramularia leaf spot, bacterial blight and blue disease.

It also features insect resistance and herbicide tolerance and produces medium-length fiber that Embrapa says meets textile-industry requirements. Fiber yield is listed at 41%, with an average fiber length of 31 millimeters.

The variety is recommended for first-crop and early second-crop planting across the Cerrado and other suitable regions, including the Federal District and the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins, Minas Gerais and Paraná. It can also be grown under irrigation in Brazil’s semi-arid Caatinga region.

New varieties target more resilient cotton supply

Although the two cultivars share resistance to several major diseases and root-knot nematodes, they are designed for somewhat different production conditions.

BRS 510 adds resistance to the reniform nematode and has the higher first-crop yield potential, while BRS 810 combines high output with fiber characteristics aimed at textile-industry specifications.

Both were launched in 2026 as part of Embrapa’s cotton breeding program.

Source: AgroLatam

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