# Weighing In On Breaking Yield Barriers Author: rhall Published: 2026-10-16 Canonical URL: https://www.cottongrower.com/sponsor/corteva-phytogen/weighing-in-on-breaking-yield-barriers/ --- Cotton growers who lean into change are finding ways to improve yield and profitability. For the McCormick family, a decision they made several years ago started a domino effect that led to breakthrough yields with fewer inputs. They’ve increased yields while eliminating the need for a nematicide, reducing seeding rates, and lowering fertilizer costs. The windfall began with the switch to [PhytoGen® cottonseed](https://www.phytogen.com/varieties.html). “PhytoGen has allowed us to break through what we thought was our top-end yield potential, and now we can actually see a top end,” said Josh, who farms in Georgia with his parents, John and Paula, and his wife, Amber. “Switching to PhytoGen cottonseed has been a gamechanger for our farm.” ![John and Josh McCormick](https://www.cottongrower.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Corteva-Phytogen-800x450-John-and-Josh-McCormick-1.jpg) **John and Josh McCormick say PhytoGen® brand varieties have helped them break through yield barriers to achieve top-end yields while reducing inputs on their Georgia farm.** It all began in 2020 when the McCormicks conducted a variety trial that compared PhytoGen® brand varieties with built-in root-knot nematode (RKN) resistance to several non-resistant competitor varieties that received an aldicarb application. In that trial, the PhytoGen brand varieties yielded 100 to 200 pounds better than competitors. The next season, the McCormicks planted 50% of their cotton acres to PhytoGen® W3FE varieties. By the end of the summer, the difference in the field was visible, but the breakthrough moment came at harvest. “PHY 545 W3FE made 1,250 pounds per acre on dryland without a nematicide, and 100 yards away, we had a competitive variety treated with aldicarb that only made 800 pounds,” Josh said. “Our only regret was not planting the whole farm to PhytoGen – we wish we’d made the change sooner.” The McCormicks have planted all of their cotton acres to PhytoGen brand varieties since 2023, after PhytoGen won their variety trials several years in a row. “The PhytoGen varieties were the top yielders, and we didn’t have to use aldicarb, which saves us $35 to $40 an acre,” Josh said. “We didn’t want to pay for or handle the chemical, and now we don’t have to with the nematode-resistant varieties from PhytoGen. We see a solid average yield increase somewhere in the 200-to-300 pound range across the board with PhytoGen.” > *“The reason we switched to PhytoGen varieties is for yield. They outyield competitor varieties and make us more money.” – Josh McCormick* **Saving on Seed** Another major change PhytoGen brand varieties brought to the McCormicks’ farm is a reduction in plant populations. With competitor varieties, they hill dropped 30,000 to 34,000 seed per acre and hoped to get a 60% to 70% stand. Since switching to PhytoGen cottonseed, the McCormicks have drastically lowered their seeding rates because of the exceptional emergence and early seeding vigor. “PhytoGen has big seed with early season vigor that’s going to come up,” Josh said. “We see 85% to 90% emergence, and that’s coming up in the heavy residue of our rolled cover crop. I like to plant cottonseed fairly deep, and we don’t worry about getting a solid stand with the early season vigor of PhytoGen cottonseed.” The McCormicks have trialed seeding rates from 14,000 to 30,000 per acre, and they’ve found the best results with singulating 23,000 seed per acre – at a 23% reduction in seed compared to competitive brands. “We have lowered our seeding rate, saved $15 to $20 per acre, and upped our yield significantly,” Josh said. “It’s also improved our PGR strategy because the plants are farther apart, so they get more airflow and set boll positions down low. That’s a big help with boll rot and to keep up our yield.” As yield, with a healthy ROI, is the No. 1 goal. “The reason we switched to PhytoGen varieties is for yield. They outyield competitor varieties and make us more money,” Josh said. “We no longer had to worry about root-knot nematodes, so we could focus on other aspects like plant population, fertility, and PGR strategy. All of that has really helped improve our yields.” *Visit [PhytoGen.com/varieties](https://www.phytogen.com/varieties.html)to find PhytoGen brand varieties for your farm.* [![](https://www.cottongrower.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/PhytoGen-H_4c_406x125.jpg)](https://www.phytogen.com/varieties.html) --- ™®Trademarks of Vylor and its affiliated companies. © 2026 Vylor. 33985 BR (9/26) 01559