Corn Breeding Nursery, Fargo (west of sheds), ND

Mission of unit:

The goal of the corn-breeding program at NDSU is to conduct research in corn breeding for the northern Corn Belt emphasizing germplasm adaptation and improvement, inbred line and population development, and hybrid testing as well as training the next generation of plant breeders. Specific objectives are:

1) Identify elite exotic genetic materials for adaptation

2) Maximize genetic improvement of corn germplasm adapted to ND

3) Develop improved maize inbred lines and populations for northern U.S.

4) Coordinate hybrid maize performance testing trials

5) Assess profitable alternatives (e.g. corn-ethanol relationship)

6) Train the next generation of breeders

The NDSU corn breeding goals relative to ND producers are early maturity and yield/moisture performance index (identifying those early-maturing hybrids that outperform late-maturing ones), above average lodging resistance and test weight, excellent drought and heat tolerance and stability across locations, good emergence in cool soils, early seedling vigor, disease and pest Resistance (e.g. including GMOs), and value-added traits (e.g. quality and bio-fuels).

NDSU releases corn products that in combination with industry materials are competitive in grain yield performance and above average in grain moisture at harvest, test weight, drought and cold tolerance, and stand ability. The corn-breeding program at NDSU is continuing its tradition to release elite early maturing inbred lines and populations demanded by the numerous requests recently received by industry and by several current joint projects being developed. For instance, AgReliant, (represented by Wensman Seeds in North Dakota) has a 5-year project with NDSU corn breeding to study the genetics behind grain quality in early corn. As a second example, APEX/Laboulet has a long-term drought tolerance cooperative project in which three generations are achieved per year due to the very early maturity nature of our germplasm.