
Searching
Exotic Corn Types to Improve Yields and Uses for U.S. Corn CropBy Linda
McElreath May 30, 2001Agricultural Research Service and other
public and private scientists are studying exotic corn germplasm from all over
the world, searching for genes to improve productivity and add value to the
corn crop in the United States. Their search should help breeders add diversity to U.S. corn hybrids as
insurance against unexpected pest outbreaks or other threats. The U.S. corn
crop has an annual value of $18 billion. In one cooperative research project, ARS geneticist Linda M. Pollak at the
Corn Insects and Crop
Genetics Research Unit, Ames, Iowa, is working with
Wilson Genetics LLC, Harlan, Iowa,
to characterize and compare starch and milling properties of 20 unique white
corn lines. Corn lines with the exotic genes have exhibited a wide variety of starch and
milling traits that may be useful to the corn industry and add profits for corn
producers. However, measuring these traits is difficult and expensive. As part of the research, scientists will study unique corn lines and develop
screening methods that will allow efficient breeding for digestibility and
other traits. This cooperative work should increase the speed and efficiency of
getting new specialty corn hybrids into the marketplace. ARS is the chief in-house scientific research agency of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Scientific contact: Linda M. Pollak, ARS Corn Insects and Crop
Genetics Research Unit, Ames, Iowa, phone (515) 294-7831, fax (515) 294-2265,
[email protected]. Story contacts Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Linda R Tokarz U.S. Department of Agriculture |