PhytoGen wants growers to have a choice and will devote resources to delivering high quality seed with early season vigor, high yield, and great fiber quality – combined with traits to help protect yields, lower cost and increase profitability.

PHY 440 WR ready for harvest.

“While others in the industry have focused on getting bigger, we've been working on getting better,” says Duane Canfield, PhytoGen marketing manager for Dow AgroSciences. “The varieties we introduce are proven performers, developed from high quality genetics.

“PhytoGen will breed, innovate and develop products that are broadly adapted and have stability across geographies, soil types and years,” Canfield says.

Several new early maturity varieties are slated for launch in three to four years with higher yields and better fiber quality. PhytoGen plans to further expand its portfolio by launching new mid-maturity varieties within the next three years, plus two full season varieties with WideStrike and Roundup Ready Flex in 2010.

Also in 2010, PhytoGen will introduce innovative, in-plant technologies, such as root knot nematode resistance. Growers also can look forward to PhytoGen nectarless varieties and varieties containing a Dow herbicide technology that includes phenoxy, and other traits to help break resistance issues.

“We will continue offering the highest-yielding, best fiber quality Acala varieties; the highest-yielding, best fiber quality Pima varieties with race 4 Fusarium wilt tolerance,” says Canfield.

PhytoGen cottonseed was developed in California more than 30 years ago. The brand now holds an impressive market lead there, and is expanding to other geographies.

Over the past three years, PhytoGen has expanded its breeding and evaluation capabilities in the Delta, mid Atlantic, and Southeast regions. In 2008, Dow AgroSciences purchased a larger research station in Leland, Miss., to spearhead PhytoGen research efforts across Southern cotton production areas.

“We continue to improve varieties that have been accepted by growers in the early-to mid-maturity range of our portfolio, in addition to developing a portfolio of full-maturity varieties,” says John Pellow, North America seeds and traits cotton field station leader for PhytoGen.

PhytoGen has successfully moved a portion of its portfolio into South Texas and continues to invest in Southwest seed production and processing. Pellow says PhytoGen also is testing varieties for heat tolerance in Arizona.

“PhytoGen is becoming a force to be reckoned with. With the investment in property and personnel, and expanding our capabilities and acres, blossoming the portfolio is the next step. PhytoGen is (an) emerging giant,” Pellow says.

“We know how to do it — become market leaders. We’ve done it before, we’re poised to do it again, and we’re investing to do it. We are going to do it,” he says.

In 2008, PhytoGen introduced a limited quantity of PHY 375 WRF – its first-ever early season WideStrike, Roundup Ready Flex stacked variety. In 2009, Canfield says PhytoGen will have a good supply of this new, broadly adapted and stable early maturity variety.

“We also will continue to offer our high-yielding broadly adapted early- to- mid-maturity Upland picker varieties, PHY 485 WRF and PHY 440 W in 2009.”