PhytoGen wins extension variety trials across the U.S. Cotton Belt

PhytoGen wins first place in 2017 Extension variety trials across the Cotton Belt. New PhytoGen W3FE varieties are winning trials and helping growers thrive with traits such as WideStrike® 3 Insect Protection, the Enlist™ cotton trait and PhytoGen Breeding Traits.

When selecting cotton varieties, one question is near the top: Who won last year’s university Extension variety trials? In many states across the Cotton Belt, the answer is PhytoGen® cottonseed.


PhytoGen has been winning Extension yield trials from Texas to North Carolina in recent years — with back-to-back wins in several states. And the trend continued in 2017.

PhytoGen won the Mississippi Small Plot Official Variety Trials (OVTs) for the fifth year in a row. PhytoGen had the No. 1 variety, PhytoGen brand PHY 312 WRF, along with five other varieties in the top 10, including longtime favorite PhytoGen brand PHY 444 WRF.

In the Missouri OVTs, PhytoGen brand PHY 430 W3FE also earned the No. 1 spot, with PhytoGen brand PHY 330 W3FE closing in at second place. PhytoGen has led the Missouri OVTs since 2013.

Other Extension trial successes include:

Texas: First- and second-place finishes in the Texas A&M 2017 Replicated Agronomic Cotton Evaluation (RACE) trials in the Lower Gulf Coast, Upper Gulf Coast and Blacklands. PhytoGen® brand PHY 340 W3FE and PHY 330 W3FE were among the top varieties.

North Carolina: PHY 430 W3FE won second place in the North Carolina State University 2017 OVTs. It was No. 1 among the new, advanced herbicide technology varieties offered in the market place today. PHY 330 W3FE was only 18 pounds behind.

Virginia: PhytoGen took two of the top three spots in the Virginia Tech 2017 County Trials. PHY 330 W3FE was the highest yielder in those trials.

Hank King, U.S. leader for PhytoGen, says he’s excited to see PhytoGen win these third-party Extension trials and credits the success to PhytoGen genetics and traits.

“The PhytoGen team has worked hard to breed, develop and advance cotton varieties that help growers thrive with consistently high yields and excellent fiber quality,” King says. “We continually see excellent results in our own variety trials and on customers’ farms, so we’re excited — but not surprised — to see our varieties performing well in the Extension trials too.”

W3FE trait package and PhytoGen Breeding Traits

While PhytoGen germplasm and genetics play a major role in the successes, King points out that the unique transgenic traits in PhytoGen brand varieties set them apart. WideStrike® 3 Insect Protection is the industry’s first three-gene Bt trait, offering improved control of cotton bollworm. The Enlist™ cotton trait allows growers to use Enlist One™ and Enlist Duo® herbicides for unrivaled weed control designed to stay on target.

PhytoGen W3FE varieties also include PhytoGen Breeding Traits that deliver in-plant protection against pests and diseases such as bacterial blight, verticillium wilt, root-knot nematodes and Race 4 FOV. Every W3FE variety has a unique combination of PhytoGen Breeding Traits, including bacterial blight resistance.

“With our PhytoGen Breeding Traits, transgenic trait technologies and high-yielding genetics, PhytoGen W3FE varieties are simply unmatched in the cotton industry,” King says.

For more information on PhytoGen W3FE varieties with PhytoGen Breeding Traits, contact your local PhytoGen territory manager or cotton development specialist, or visit PhytoGen.com.

About PhytoGen
PhytoGen, an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences, helps growers thrive with cottonseed varieties that produce maximum yield and industry-leading fiber quality. Growers work smarter with the most advanced trait technologies, such as WideStrike® 3 Insect Protection and the Enlist™ cotton trait. Join the discussion with PhytoGen on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.