Posted on Leave a comment

Corn varieties getting some help from their relatives

Using some traits from native and wild plants, Texas A&M AgriLife researchers are combining corn breeding and entomology expertise to tackle some of U.S. corn production’s major issues.

The two-year project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Crop Protection and Pest Management Competitive Grants Program, is designed to address current challenges such as increased pest resistance, decreased efficacy of Bt technology, vulnerability to caterpillar pests such as fall armyworm, and preharvest mycotoxin contamination.