PhytoGen® brand varieties dominate Cotton Belt official variety trials

University Extension Official Variety Trial (OVT) results are in from across the Cotton Belt, and there is no denying that PhytoGen dominated in both yield performance and fiber characteristics.

The leading Upland varieties, including PhytoGen® brand PHY 444 WRF, PHY 333 WRF and PHY 312 WRF, are proven to be among those top performers that can help growers earn sizable premiums in 2017.

History in the Making

In Mississippi, PhytoGen has seven of the top 10 varieties and captured the top spots in the Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri OVTs. PhytoGen brand PHY 333 WRF is top in Tennessee, while PHY 312 WRF leads performance in Missouri. In Arkansas, PhytoGen brand PHY 312 WRF and PHY 444 WRF took the top two spots, with PHY 333 WRF also among the Top 10 performing varieties.

“It’s one thing to have three of the top yielding varieties, but when you have seven of the Top 10, it speaks to the dominance of the brand,” says Tom Eubank, Ph.D., PhytoGen cotton development specialist in North Mississippi.

“Farmers should feel confident in planting any PhytoGen brand varieties within the portfolio,” Eubank says.

PHY 444 WRF is a midseason variety that fits well in the Cotton Belt’s southern regions, including the South Delta, South Texas, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. It is a top yielder in both dryland and irrigated production.

According to Eubank, both PHY 333 WRF and PHY 312 WRF offer high-quality fiber in earlier-maturing varieties, while PHY 333 WRF broadly fits many geographic locations from Texas to Virginia.

“PHY 333 WRF exhibits unprecedented seedling vigor and is at the top of the list among anything available in the marketplace,” Eubank says.

Each year the varieties are put to the test, and despite any issues encountered during planting or harvest, PhytoGen® brand varieties continue to perform by delivering consistency across different farm environments.

What These Results Mean for Producers

The OVTs and on-farm trials serve as an unbiased evaluation of varieties, both commercial and experimental, available in the marketplace.

Producers can benefit from cross-referencing these findings with the performance of the varieties they have planted and develop a variety plan with the help of a PhytoGen cotton development specialist.

“Our varieties — our entire lineup — can be trusted. Growers should feel comfortable planting PhytoGen cottonseed, given our history and performance,” Eubank says.

*Source: 2016 Mississippi State University, University of Arkansas, University of Georgia and University of Tennessee Official Variety Trials.

®PhytoGen and the PhytoGen Logo are trademarks of PhytoGen Seed Company, LLC. PhytoGen Seed Company is a joint venture between Mycogen Corporation, an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, and the J.G. Boswell Company.