PhytoGen Claims Top Three Spots
February 14, 2012 In 2010, Dow AgroScience’s PhytoGen cotton seed brand burst onto the big stage, capturing a market share of 12.1%. With a market share of 16.7% in 2011, that’s an increase of 38%. That was due in large part to the popularity of its PhytoGen 375 WRF.
“In the Mid-South and Southeast combined, 375 was by far number one – it’s on about 700,000 acres,” said Dr. Joel Faircloth, PhytoGen cotton development specialist for Dow AgroSciences in 2010.
The growing popularity of 375 WRF was confirmed in 2011, becoming the most popular Upland variety in the U.S. with a market share of 10.67%. The variety was number one in the Southeast (22.7% market share) and Far West (12.8%), and second in the Mid-South (20.94%).
PhytoGen had the number one Pima variety – PHY 805 – and number one Acala variety – PHY 725 WRF. “That’s a nice trifecta,” says Dr. Steve Brown, also a PhytoGen cotton development specialist.
“In 2006 in the Southeast, which is Alabama to Virginia, we had 1% of the market. Our near term goal – four or five years from now – would be 35% U.S. market share,” he continues. “To accomplish that, we’re going to have to grow significantly in Texas.”
In the Southwest, the PhytoGen market share was 6.02% in 2011.
“We’ve added Robert Lemon,” – Dr. Lemon is a former Texas Extension cotton specialist – “and we also added some breeding staff focusing on our efforts on what’s going on in Texas,” says Brown. “We have three varieties that have looked good in Texas, including PHY 375. That has become our flagship variety , and probably will be next year, too. PHY 376 WRF and PHY 499 WRF have looked really good in Texas. We think we’re poised to grow in Texas.
“But again, there’s no doubt that PHY 375 is our flagship variety because it’s so consistent over different geographies. But as we move forward from here, it looks like PHY 499 is going to be her even more broadly adapted.”
Brown says the results in 2010 with PHY 499 were “spectacular.”
“Seedling vigor and vegetative vigor have been incredible. Last year’s yield reports were rather remarkable, and while yield results from 2011 are limited at this date, early numbers have been quite encouraging,” he explains.
“In the lower Southeast, stand establishment was a challenge this season and PHY 499 came out of the ground as good as anything else, if not better that anything else.”
Brown says yield is what it’s all about, but you can’t have yield without a stand.
“We want to deliver good seed quality to the grower,” he explained.
Brown says as PhytoGen looks at 2012, there will be no new varieties introduced, and he says that’s a plus.
“We’re concentrating on ramping up PHY 499,” he explains. “If you step back and look, we’re not bringing as many new varieties to the market because our mode of operation is not to introduce a large number of varieties each year. We’re going to try to be very particular and singular. It’s nice to have varieties that are broadly adapted.”
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