Symposium Highlights Present, Future of Texas Corn

Writer: Tim W. McAlavy, (806) 746-6101, email: t-mcalavy@tamu.edu
Contact: Wenwei Xu or Tom Archer, (806) 746-6101

 LUBBOCK – Something new is afoot in corn fields on the Texas High Plains. New feed and food grade corns that are bred for drought and heat tolerance, insect and disease resistance, and higher yields and protein content were recently showcased at a three-day symposium at Lubbock.

 “We hosted this symposium to showcase Texas A&M and Texas Tech corn research projects supported by the Texas Corn Producers Board, and to enhance interaction between research scientists, industry representatives and corn producers,” said Jaroy Moore, resident director of research at the Lubbock center. “It was an excellent opportunity to see and learn first-hand about the latest university corn research projects in Texas, some of which are right here on the High Plains.

 “Another goal was opening new dialogue between researchers and industry on how we can hasten and improve the commercialization of new corn lines resulting from these projects.”

The symposium attracted more than 100 producers, seedsmen, millers, and corn processors. The event also provided an up-close look at improved corn lines, and a better understanding of Texas A&M’s statewide corn breeding program.
 This crop improvement effort includes research scientists from several disciplines and universities.

 Initiated in 1980 by Dr. Tom Archer, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station entomologist, the High Plains projects initially focused on identifying and breeding corns resistant to mite and earworms. From 1995 to 1998, Archer and Dr. Henry Nguyen, Texas Tech molecular geneticist, focused on selecting and breeding for drought resistance and crossing these with insect resistant lines.

 Drs. Wenwei Xu and Javier Betran joined the team in 1998. In the three years hence, the researchers have made substantial progress breeding drought- and insect-resistant corn lines designed to survive and thrive in West Texas and
other climates.

 “Our improved corn lines have much longer ears, good grain fill and much higher yields,” Xu noted.
“We are developing drought tolerant corns, but we also want to provide corn producers with a whole package.”

 That whole package includes insect resistance, drought and heat tolerance, as well as reduced aflatoxin levels. But unfortunately, this is not a rapid process.

 “We cannot commercialize our hybrids ourselves. We don’t have that kind of mechanism,” Xu said.
“So, we will license these hybrids with the local seed companies so they can commercialize them in Texas.”

 Cooperative partnerships are vital to this crop improvement effort. Organizations funding this corn improvement effort include the Texas Corn Producers Board, High Plains Underground Water Conservation District, and Netafim -- a drip irrigation firm.

 As scientists continue their field work, they will also work closely with agribusiness to speed commercialization of these improved corn lines.

 “It takes three to four total years to get these plants where we can release them to the companies,” Archer said. “At that point, the companies incorporate the genetics in to their best commercial hybrids and that will probably take another three to five years.

Although we are still a few years away from seeing this low maintenance corn in our fields, the wait will be worthwhile for everyone from producers to consumers.