PhytoGen, the cottonseed brand of Corteva Agriscience, recently announced two new cotton varieties for 2024: PHY 137 W3E1 and PHY 475 W3FE.

PHY 137 W3E1 and PHY 475 W3FE add diversity to the current PhytoGen portfolio, according to Dec. 13 statement.

PHY 137 W3E1 is an early- to mid-maturing Upland variety for the Southwest with genetic resistance to root-knot nematodes and bacterial blight. It features the W3E1 trait package that combines the Enlist and WideStrike 3 Insect Protection, giving cotton producers the choice to customize weed-management programs and save on input costs if they do not need a glyphosate-tolerant trait.

PHY 475 W3FE is a mid- to full-season Upland variety tailored to the Southeast, especially in Georgia. It’s an easy-to-manage variety with resistance to root-knot and reniform nematodes, as well as bacterial blight. The W3FE trait packages offer growers the option to control weeds with over-the-top applications of Enlist herbicides, glufosinate and glyphosate.

“Yield potential and consistency are the words that describe PhytoGen brand varieties for 2024 — the strongest portfolio that PhytoGen has offered in more than 40 years,” said U.S. Cotton Portfolio Manager Joel Faircloth. “PHY 137 W3E1 and PHY 475 W3FE are proof that PhytoGen brand varieties continue to get better and better, bringing yield-raising potential to cotton farmers and adding value to their operations.”

PhytoGen Cotton Development Specialist Brad Hopkins said PHY 137 W3E1 is an ideal fit for South Texas, where he conducted trials with the variety for the past two years.

“PHY 137 W3E1 is one of our highest-yielding varieties for the Southwest market. Its performance led many of my trials in 2023 across South Texas, with irrigated yields as high as four bales per acre,” Hopkins said. “It also offers the best fiber quality package in our portfolio. PHY 137 W3E1 really shined in drought conditions last season, producing outstanding staple lengths and yielding strong results on dryland and irrigated fields.”

In PhytoGen Innovation Trials throughout the Southeast last year, PHY 475 W3FE showed consistent, high-yielding performance during a season full of obstacles, including drought and Hurricane Idalia in late August. Russell Nuti, PhytoGen cotton development specialist for Georgia and Alabama, said PHY 475 W3FE proved to be a great addition for Southeast producers.

“Last season gave us a really good look at PHY 475 W3FE, because we experienced diverse challenges from planting through harvest. It consistently rose above those conditions to stand out in our on-farm trials,” Nuti said. “PHY 475 W3FE is a great complement to Southeast favorites, such as PHY 400 W3FE and PHY 411 W3FE, especially for growers who want a slightly fuller maturity that can bring even more pounds to the irrigated acre.”