BASF Highlights New Stoneville Cotton Varieties for 2026 Growing Season
By Lindasj2/DepositPhotos image
BASF is spotlighting new cotton seed varieties for growers to consider in 2026, expanding its Stoneville portfolio with strong yield performance and enhanced disease resistance. We sat down with Kenny Melton, U.S. Agronomy Lead for BASF, to discuss the latest additions and what they mean for southeastern cotton growers and producers across the eastern cotton belt.
“They are Stoneville 4650 AXTP and Stoneville 5260 AXTP, and those two are new additions for us,” Melton said.
In addition to those new releases, BASF continues to see solid performance from Stoneville 5855 and Stoneville 6000. “Stoneville 5855, we’ve already got that one out there in place in the market, and then Stoneville 6000. Both of those are mid-full type variety. They have some great performance down there right now, so we’re happy to have these additions in there,” he explained.
Stoneville 5260 AXTP: Strong Nematode and Disease Package
The Stoneville 5260 AXTP is a mid-maturing cotton variety designed with southeastern growers in mind. One of its standout features is reniform nematode resistance, a key trait in regions where nematode pressure can significantly impact cotton yield.
“The Stoneville 5260 is a mid-maturing variety. The good thing about it also is that it does have reniform nematode resistant. We know that’s a problem out there, and we’re certainly wanting to have a new offering,” Melton said.
He added that the variety also offers root-knot nematode tolerance and bacterial blight resistance, providing a comprehensive disease package. “Excited to have that for the growers there in the southeast. And then, in addition to that, it’s got root-knot nematode tolerance as well, so it’s resistant to bacterial blight also, so it’s got a really good disease package. So, it’ll be in limited quantities, but we will have some out there.”
Stoneville 4650 AXTP: Exceptional Yield Performance
The Stoneville 4650 AXTP is an early- to mid-maturing cotton variety that has demonstrated exceptional yield performance. “And then the Stoneville 4650 AXTP, that is an early to mid-maturing variety, and this one has really had exceptional yield. It did extremely well all across the eastern cotton belt, and so we were very happy to have that. It has good resistance to root-knot nematode,” Melton noted.
While it does not offer reniform nematode resistance, it provides strong root-knot nematode resistance and competitive yield potential.
Both new BASF cotton varieties feature medium-tall to tall, aggressive plant types. However, Melton emphasized that growth can be effectively managed with plant growth regulators (PGRs). Growers interested in Stoneville 4650 AXTP or Stoneville 5260 AXTP can contact their local retailer or BASF representatives for more information on APT locations and seed availability for the 2026 season.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.