Consistent cottonseed varieties overcome inconsistent weather, markets
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On the Texas coast, every season brings opposing extremes: spring storms threaten planting, followed by the looming threat of a summer drought. If growers make it to August unscathed, the season ends with a good chance of hurricane rains at harvest.
On top of weather challenges, volatile prices and market instability exacerbate the pressures of growing cotton. How can producers plan for the future with so many uncertainties?
For Wharton County producer Josh Marek, the way forward focuses on controlling variables within his reach to produce consistent high yields and excellent fiber quality. Consistency is the guiding principle, and Marek says that begins with PhytoGen® cottonseed.
“Weather is never consistent – we could get too much rain or not enough rain, even in the same season. Price is not consistent – you never know what the market will do. With those variables, we need something we can count on,” Marek said. “We’ve planted PhytoGen brand varieties for 20 years because they provide the high yields and good grades we need to get a profitable return on investment.”
During those two decades, Marek has planted a long list of PhytoGen® brand varieties, with newer products bringing a level of yield consistency and reliability he hasn’t found with other cottonseed brands. PhytoGen® brand PHY 400 W3FE has been the top-performing variety on his farm for the last several years. He typically aims for 1,500 pounds per acre, and PHY 400 W3FE continually exceeds that expectation – with several fields yielding more than 3.5 bales to the acre in 2026.
“We’ve planted a lot of great PhytoGen varieties that have performed well for us,” Marek said. “For several years now, PHY 400 W3FE has been our best variety. It’s a very consistent yielder, and I would put it against any variety from any cottonseed company.”
While PHY 400 W3FE is a farm favorite, Marek said PhytoGen® brand PHY 415 W3FE and PHY 136 W3E1 also produce high yields, with several fields topping 3 to 3.5 bales per acre last year. He’s even more excited about new additions to the portfolio. As a PhytoGen Horizon Network member, Marek plants a trial evaluating new products each year. Last season, PhytoGen® brand PHY 357 W3FE – a new variety for 2026 – was the top-yielding variety in the trial, winning by 64 pounds per acre.
“PHY 357 W3FE looks like it’s going to be a good variety for us. I was excited when I ran the picker through it. There was a lot of cotton in the field,” Marek said. “PHY 357 W3FE yielded 1,716 pounds per acre, and the grade was excellent with a 57 cent loan value.”
Fiber quality is an important aspect of the consistency equation on Marek’s operation. He wants cottonseed varieties that can produce high yields with excellent fiber quality, especially staple length, to help him earn premiums when his merchant sells the bales. With so many uncertainties in the cotton market, high fiber quality helps him earn more for his cotton and increase his bottom line.
“Fiber quality is important to us because it increases our return when we sell it. With our PhytoGen varieties, when we grow a longer staple, from 37 to 40, combined with good color and strength, we’ll pick up a nice premium on our cotton,” Marek said. “With good grades we can earn 3 to 4 cents more per pound for our cotton. It all adds up and helps our bottom line so much.”
That strong ROI allows Marek to focus more on his favorite part of the job – growing and harvesting a crop. “I love to grow cotton. My favorite part is sitting in the cotton picker and picking really good cotton. That’s what I love to do. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.”
A love for the crop, combined with the proven reliability of PhytoGen cottonseed, gives him the confidence to come back year after year, planting each spring while looking forward to greater rewards at harvest. He’s already getting ready for the next season, and he plans to increase his acres of the new PhytoGen brand varieties.
“We face a lot of risks in farming so we need confidence in the varieties we put in the ground – we need to know they are going to provide us a return on our money,” Marek said. “We can count on PhytoGen varieties to yield and have good grades. That helps us sleep better at night. We strive for and demand consistency from our cottonseed, and PhytoGen varieties are consistent for us.”
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Find information on nematode management and more in the PhytoGen Cottonseed Agronomy Library.