Corn Breeding and Genetics


Breeding Home Page		Corn Improvement
Corn 2008 State Trials 2008 Northeast Region 2008 CentralEast Region 2008 Southeast Region 2008 Larimore 2008 Thompson 2008 Lakota 2008 Prosper 2008 Fargo 2008 Casselton 2008 Forman 2008 Colfax 2008 Barney How to choose hybrids (Feb.1, 2008; Buffalo, ND) 2009 Corn Hybrid Trials Application 2007 State Trials 2007 Oakes 2007 Casselton 2007 Larimore 2007 Fargo 2007 Prosper Breeding History in ND Corn Production Corn Project Leader Publications Research Teaching Corn Project Staff Graduate Students Objectives Breeding Methods Germplasm Adaptation Pedigree Selection Population Hybrids Recurrent Selection Corn Inbred Lines Inbred Releases Population Releases PVP Older releases NDSU corn releases after 1979		Corn at Williston ND North Dakota State University (NDSU) and Plant Breeding NDSU has a unique national plant breeding and genetics research and training expertise providing a unique center for plant breeding research, education, and training. Genetic improvement, as a consequence of plant breeding is the main reason North Dakota (ND) crop production agriculture generates more than $4 billion in cash receipts today. The availability of genetically enhanced diverse products through plant breeding and biotechnology has been essential to maintain the largest sector of ND economy. Public plant breeding efforts have the potential to impact both traditional agriculture and local communities as well through breeding for local adaptation The Importance of Corn Breeding and Genetics The improvement of corn for food, feed, fiber, and fuel can be done in several ways. For instance, the farmer can increase the yield and starch of corn hybrids by improving his/her management strategies for fertilization, irrigation, plant population, seeding method, weed control, etc. However, even though the corn producer can achieve ideal management conditions the most limiting factor for improving traits (especially complex ones) is the genetics available in the seed (e.g. the type of hybrid purchased). All of the research conducted in the U.S. agrees that at least 60-70% of the improvement that can be made in a hybrid is due to genetics while 30-40% is the maximum improvement that can be made by an effective usage of management inputs. As seen in Figure 1 below the average U.S. corn grain yield has increased from 20-30 Bu/A to 120 to 130 Bu/A, an average increased of 100 Bu/A over the years. If 70% of the increased was due to genetics it means that 70 Bu/A was the consequence of breeding and genetics research on inbred line and hybrid development which has demonstrated to be the best investment for increasing corn yields. Crosbie and Lamkey (1999) conducted a pre-biotech retrospective look at corn genetic improvement (1865-1996) evaluated the value and cost of public corn breeding during that period. The assumption (as described above) was that 2/3 of the actual gains were due to genetic improvement. A macro-analysis of corn breeding costs and benefits was performed for the U.S. based on 1994 dollars across 27 public breeding programs. Results showed that $3 billion were invested while $260 billion were the return as a consequence of applied corn breeding. The impact of public corn breeding programs continues to be very large even though confidentiality does not clearly show it. However, there has been a very serious erosion of corn breeding programs at universities during the past 10 years with much less than 5% of the U.S. corn breeders being public. More than any other crop, a critical mass of corn breeders is essential to meet the future demands for increased crop productivity and value. Plant breeding should continue to become a priority across state leadership and federal granting agencies.

Corn Improvement

Corn
2008 State Trials
   2008 Northeast Region
   2008 CentralEast Region
   2008 Southeast Region
   2008 Larimore
   2008 Thompson
   2008 Lakota
   2008 Prosper
   2008 Fargo
   2008 Casselton
   2008 Forman
   2008 Colfax
   2008 Barney
   How to choose hybrids (Feb.1, 2008; Buffalo, ND)
   2009 Corn Hybrid Trials Application
2007 State Trials
   2007 Oakes
   2007 Casselton
   2007 Larimore
   2007 Fargo
   2007 Prosper
Breeding History in ND
Corn Production
Corn Project Leader
   Publications
   Research
   Teaching
Corn Project Staff
Graduate Students
Objectives
Breeding Methods
   Germplasm Adaptation
   Pedigree Selection
   Population Hybrids
   Recurrent Selection
Corn Inbred Lines
   Inbred Releases
   Population Releases
   PVP
   Older releases
   NDSU corn releases after 1979

Corn at Williston ND

North Dakota State University (NDSU) and Plant Breeding

NDSU has a unique national plant breeding and genetics research and training expertise providing a unique center for plant breeding research, education, and training. Genetic improvement, as a consequence of plant breeding is the main reason North Dakota (ND) crop production agriculture generates more than $4 billion in cash receipts today. The availability of genetically enhanced diverse products through plant breeding and biotechnology has been essential to maintain the largest sector of ND economy. Public plant breeding efforts have the potential to impact both traditional agriculture and local communities as well through breeding for local adaptation

The Importance of Corn Breeding and Genetics

The improvement of corn for food, feed, fiber, and fuel can be done in several ways. For instance, the farmer can increase the yield and starch of corn hybrids by improving his/her management strategies for fertilization, irrigation, plant population, seeding method, weed control, etc. However, even though the corn producer can achieve ideal management conditions the most limiting factor for improving traits (especially complex ones) is the genetics available in the seed (e.g. the type of hybrid purchased). All of the research conducted in the U.S. agrees that at least 60-70% of the improvement that can be made in a hybrid is due to genetics while 30-40% is the maximum improvement that can be made by an effective usage of management inputs. As seen in Figure 1 below the average U.S. corn grain yield has increased from 20-30 Bu/A to 120 to 130 Bu/A, an average increased of 100 Bu/A over the years. If 70% of the increased was due to genetics it means that 70 Bu/A was the consequence of breeding and genetics research on inbred line and hybrid development which has demonstrated to be the best investment for increasing corn yields.

US Corn Yields and Cultivar Types, 1866 to 1996 chart

Crosbie and Lamkey (1999) conducted a pre-biotech retrospective look at corn genetic improvement (1865-1996) evaluated the value and cost of public corn breeding during that period. The assumption (as described above) was that 2/3 of the actual gains were due to genetic improvement. A macro-analysis of corn breeding costs and benefits was performed for the U.S. based on 1994 dollars across 27 public breeding programs. Results showed that $3 billion were invested while $260 billion were the return as a consequence of applied corn breeding. The impact of public corn breeding programs continues to be very large even though confidentiality does not clearly show it. However, there has been a very serious erosion of corn breeding programs at universities during the past 10 years with much less than 5% of the U.S. corn breeders being public. More than any other crop, a critical mass of corn breeders is essential to meet the future demands for increased crop productivity and value. Plant breeding should continue to become a priority across state leadership and federal granting agencies.