When Henry A. Wallace began corn-breeding experiments in 1913 near his home in Des Moines in south-central Iowa, many land-grant colleges also established hybrid corn-breeding programs. Wallace built working relationships with several of them.
Wallace founded the Hi-Bred Corn Co. in 1926, which eventually became Pioneer Hi-Bred International. Today, Corteva Agriscience owns the Pioneer brand and continues the century-old tradition of working with academics and researchers at universities, supporting various programs and studies.
“We help fund research projects, as well as participate in the annual corn and soybean variety trials managed by universities in a number of states,” said Judd O’Connor, executive vice president of Corteva’s global seed business unit. “Plus, Pioneer does its own research, too. Research is a key part of Corteva and Pioneer.”
The seed industry and land-grant universities have both benefited from collaborating on research projects, especially regarding breeding of plants and developing improved varieties and management practices for farmers.
Meeting farmers’ needs
“Global demand for our products continues to expand despite complex geopolitical and regulatory environments,” O’Connor said. “But we are focused on supporting our customers with improved products to meet their needs.”
Evaluating new trait technologies provides mutual benefits for farmers, companies and universities.
Demand for Pioneer products, especially in the Midwest, has increased considerably over the past 50 years. O’Connor sees that trend continuing.
“Ag is a growth business,” he said. “We continue to put more protein in food supplies around the world. We also foresee a growing demand for renewable energy and the need for corn, soybeans and other energy-producing crops to continue meeting that need.”
Universities work with Pioneer and other companies on projects and activities involving agronomy, ag economics, ag education and more.
For the seed industry, working closely with universities is about continuing to find ways to produce more with less. There’s less available cropland and water for crops in many areas. This is coupled with an increased demand for inputs.
“I don’t see that changing,” O’Connor said. “We in agriculture have a strong reason to do this — to provide food, energy and other products for a growing population — and do it in a sustainable way. I see the relationship with our university partners continuing for a long time as we strive to help feed the world today and in the future.”
Comparing corn varieties
Wallace was a student at Iowa State College (now Iowa State University), graduating in 1910. Fascinated with corn breeding, he was convinced planting hybrid corn varieties instead of open-pollinated corn would increase yields and profitability for farmers.
“Henry A. Wallace actually began experimenting with corn in high school,” said Kendall Lamkey, ISU associate dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Wallace was instrumental in creating what became the Iowa Corn Yield Test, sponsored by Iowa State College. The test was established through cooperation of the Iowa Crop Improvement Association and the Iowa Ag Experiment Station.
“The first Iowa Crop Performance Tests were in 1920, building on the work by the Iowa Experiment Station to make comparisons of various genetic strains and varieties of corn near Ames,” Lamkey explained. “Those early comparisons demonstrated a need to identify high-yielding varieties and make that information available statewide to farmers. The idea quickly spread to other ag-oriented states.”
After graduating from college, Wallace began his own corn-breeding experiments on his family’s land near Des Moines. He produced a hybrid he named “Copper Cross,” which in 1924 was the first hybrid to win first place in the Iowa Corn Yield Test.
Wallace partnered with others to produce hybrid seed and put it in the yield test. This became a statewide source of information that showed how well hybrids performed versus open-pollinated varieties.
A rift developed as Wallace entered hybrid corn varieties in the Iowa Corn Yield Test. Many people weren’t in favor of including hybrids in the test because hybrid seed was difficult to produce. Farmers could easily grow open-pollinated corn varieties. They could save open-pollinated corn for seed, plant it and not have to buy hybrid seed.
A compromise was met as the Iowa Corn Yield Test decided to separate the open-pollinated and hybrid varieties in the test. Wallace continued to produce hybrid corn varieties and publish the yield results, which showed how hybrids performed better than open-pollinated corn.