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NCR167: Corn Breeding Research

Statement of Issues and Justification

Plant breeding is the ultimate delivery method for the enhancement of germplasm resources and the development of cultivars that have consistently high performance across environments. During the 20th Century, corn breeders have been leaders in conducting basic and applied research to determine the more efficient and effective methods for corn improvement. Different aspects of molecular genetics have assumed greater importance during the past decade, but plant breeders still have the task of developing superior genotypes for transgene insertions.

The number of corn breeders with the state agriculture experiment stations (SAES) and the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA/ARS) has declined dramatically during the past 50 years. Frey (1996) reported that 545.05 SYs were devoted to dent corn breeding: of this total, 509.75 SYs (93.5) were with private industry, 27.1 SYs (5.0) were with SAES, and 8.2 SYs (1.5) were with the USDA/ARS. Hence, 93.5 of the dent corn breeders in the United States are employed by private industry. Although only 6.5 of the corn breeders are in the public sector, they are expected 1) to conduct long-term, high-risk research to advance the frontiers of knowledge for corn improvement, and 2) to educate and train graduate students capable of conducting independent breeding programs, which are largely in the private sector (Frey, 2000).

Evaluation and enhancement of germplasm resources, genepool enhancement, and development of enhanced breeding methodologies are essential to maintain continued genetic advance of the corn hybrids provided to the producers (Fig. 1). These research projects are long-term, include selection of traits that are complex in their inheritance, and usually do not lead directly to development of elite lines and hybrids. Incremental genetic gains are realized over time and all available information and techniques (e.g., selection indices, molecular markers, etc.) are included to enhance our genetic resources. Hence, the Multi-State Committee on Corn Research will emphasize the NCRA crosscut "Genetic resources development and manipulation (genomics and germplasm) of corn" as its goal.

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