PhytoGen Building on Innovation and Consistency in 2022
November 21, 2022 When you have one of the top performing cotton varieties in the industry, along with other strong options up and down the maturity scale, a proprietary weed control system (Enlist), and native traits for protection from disease and nematodes, it’s a good position to be in.
Just ask Joel Faircloth, U.S. Cotton Portfolio Manager for PhytoGen.
One of the workhorses of the PhytoGen variety portfolio continues to be PHY 400 W3FE, which Faircloth says has dominated the market – especially in South Central Texas – and other parts of the Cotton Belt thanks to its broad adaptability, high yields, and resistance to diseases and root-knot nematodes.
“I believe it’s the number one planted variety in Texas this year,” says Faircloth, although it’s also shown strong performance in Kansas, the South Delta, and mid-Atlantic states.
“It’s no secret that we’ve experienced some really tough conditions this year,” he points out. “That’s where PhytoGen varieties have really paid off. We do extensive work on irrigation response, and our reps can recommend products that can also perform very well under lighter water.”
Faircloth highlighted other PhytoGen varieties that performed well in 2022:
- Two early maturing varieties – PHY 205 W3FE and PHY 250 W3FE – showed good performance in the Southwest Plains area north of Lubbock. In Oklahoma, PHY 350 W3FE and PHY 332 W3FE proved to be a good fit, as did PHY 400 W3FE on traditional upland acres up into Kansas.
- Growers farming south of Lubbock liked PHY 300 W3FE – a very durable variety – and PHY 350 W3FE, an indeterminate variety that recovers well from stress. Gains were also made with PHY 332 W3FE, a newer variety providing resistance to both reniform and root knot nematodes, as well as bacterial blight. Faircloth notes, “It allowed growers that had yield issues in certain fields due to reniform nematodes to get consistent stands that are very even across the top thanks to that resistance.”
- In that South Plains area, growers also liked PHY 480 W3FE due to the longer growing season. It’s a high yielding variety with great fiber quality for this region.
- In the Mid-South, PHY 411 W3FE will be a dominant player.
- In parts of Tennessee and Alabama with tough nematode issues, PHY 443 W3FE and PHY 332 W3FE are good, high yielding fits.
- In Georgia, growers have full season PHY 545 W3FE and PHY 443 W3FE for those who need reniform control. PHY 400 W3FE is also a good fit for acres where growers are looking to push yield.
- In the mid-Atlantic, PHY 400 W3FE continues to dominate and PHY 411 W3FE did very well in trials this year. PHY 360 W3FE is an early maturing, high yielding variety that picks clean.
- PhytoGen continues to be a major player in the Pima market, due to yield, fiber quality and the best tolerance in the market to FOV Race 4.
“We introduced PHY 807 RF last year, and it’s a great companion to PHY 881 RF which has a lot of brand equity in all areas where Pima is grown,” says Faircloth. “We also have another new product on the horizon that we’re evaluating for introduction next year.”
In addition, another new variety has performed well in product trials in South Central Texas. “It’s yielding right along with PHY 400 W3FE,” adds Faircloth. “We’ll name it in December. We won’t have supply for every acre next season, but we’re looking forward to giving folks a good look at it in that region.”
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