PhytoGen Cottonseed Expands 2027 Portfolio with Three New Varieties

PhytoGen cottonseed, the U.S. cottonseed brand of Corteva, announced three new varieties for the 2027 season: PhytoGen brand PHY 362 W3FE, PHY 491 W3FE and PHY 207 W3FE. The new varieties build on the yield and fiber quality potential introduced last year with PhytoGen brand PHY 357 W3FE and PHY 433 W3FE.

“With these new varieties for 2027, we continue a new era at PhytoGen cottonseed that began with last year’s product introductions,” said Joel Faircloth, Ph.D., Corteva portfolio leader for cotton. “Our breeders exceeded expectations again by adding three more varieties to our portfolio with breakthrough yield potential and excellent fiber quality.”

PHY 362 W3FE is a broadly adapted, early to mid-maturity variety bred to perform across the Cotton Belt. It offers high-yield potential on both dryland and irrigated acres in the Southeast and Midsouth and is designed to perform in dryland fields of the Texas South Plains.

PHY 491 W3FE is a broadly adapted, mid- to full-maturity variety with high yield potential and premium fiber quality. It is intended for the Southeast, including Georgia, lower Alabama and South Carolina, where growers prefer longer-season varieties that can withstand drought stress.

Faircloth said PHY 362 W3FE and PHY 491 W3FE perform consistently across diverse soil types and agronomic conditions, helping simplify in-season management and stabilize yields. Both varieties include resistance to bacterial blight, reniform nematodes and root-knot nematodes.

The varieties demonstrated strong yield performance in PhytoGen breeder trials and Official Variety Trials during 2025.

Across the Cotton Belt, PHY 362 W3FE delivered a 144-pound-per-acre yield advantage over competing varieties in 2025 university Official Variety Trials. PHY 362 W3FE ranked No. 1 among commercial competitor varieties in the 2025 Mississippi State University Official Variety Trials, outperforming Deltapine DP 2127 B3XF by 100 pounds per acre. PHY 491 W3FE topped the University of Georgia irrigated Official Variety Trial in Attapulgus, Georgia, with a yield of 2,434 pounds per acre, exceeding the leading competitor by 194 pounds per acre.

Faircloth said PHY 362 W3FE and PHY 491 W3FE, along with PHY 357 W3FE and PHY 433 W3FE, form the core of the PhytoGen portfolio because of their adaptability and reliability.

“One or more of those four varieties will fit on any acre of the Cotton Belt because of their broad fit, disease-resistant traits and high yield potential,” Faircloth said. “Markets, weather, pests and diseases all fluctuate from season to season, and cotton producers tell us they need reliable cotton varieties they can count on. These varieties provide a firm foundation for U.S. cotton producers to break through production challenges for higher yield potential.”

Break-Through Yield Potential for the High Plains

Bred specifically for the High Plains, PHY 207 W3FE is an early maturity variety designed for optimally planted cotton acres and double-crop wheat acres. The variety is intended to withstand harsh High Plains conditions with storm tolerance and dryland performance while also performing well under irrigated production. It also has a naturally higher micronaire to help produce high-quality fiber in the region's shorter growing season.

“PhytoGen has a long history of providing varieties uniquely developed for the High Plains, and PHY 207 W3FE is another one that stands up to the agronomic challenges of the region and consistently delivers high yield potential,” Faircloth said. “When our breeders saw this variety rising to the top in our High Plains breeding program, we knew it was one we needed to get into the hands of our customers in the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma and Kansas.”

In 2025 trials, PHY 207 W3FE delivered a 48-pound-per-acre yield advantage over FiberMax FM 765AX across 24 High Plains trials.

Growers in the PhytoGen Horizon Network planted PHY 362 W3FE, PHY 491 W3FE and PHY 207 W3FE in on-farm trials during the 2026 season. Farmers can contact their local PhytoGen field agronomist to tour variety trials or review local yield data after harvest.

“The momentum continues with the release of PHY 362 W3FE, PHY 491 W3FE and PHY 207 W3FE,” Faircloth said. “We're excited to see harvest results from the PHN farmers and to get these varieties into the hands of more U.S. cotton producers in 2027."