OREI Cooperator Dr. Rich Pratt was made a fellow of the Crop Science Society of America. According to the Society web site “Members of the Society nominate worthy colleagues based on their professional achievements and meritorious service. Up to 0.3% of the Society’s active and emeritus members may be elected Fellow”. The award was presented at the annual meeting in Phoenix, Az, November 6-9, 2016. Dr. Pratt organized a symposium titled “Native Crops and Genetic Resources from the Southwest” at the meeting.
News
Feb 2, 2016
Cooperators from six institutions converged at the University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Research Station in LaJas. Dubbed a smoothie-powered pollination festival by cooperator Paul Scott (USDA-ARS, Ames Iowa), cooperators advanced their breeding stocks, exchanged information, planned new breeding approaches and developed camaraderie. Highlights of the trip included a discussion of biological control agents with representatives of Koppert Biological Systems a visit by Charlie Brown of Brownseed Genetics, who was impressed by the weed control in the nursery. “We timed the cultivation just right this year” said Bryan Brunner (University of Puerto Rico). Insect damage was heavy with corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), old world bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) and fall army worm (Spodoptera frugiperda) all contributing. Cooperators agreed that this provided a great opportunity to select for varieties with native insect resistance. “While fall army worms are currently not a big problem in the U.S. corn belt, some resistance mechanisms may translate to improved insect protection against other pests” said Kevin Montgomery (Montgomery Consulting, Moroa, IL).
A new approach was implemented this year to encourage interinstitutional cooperation. Each cooperator designated a section of their nursery for interinstitutional crosses and presented the strengths and weaknesses of the varieties in that section to the other cooperators. Armed with this information, cooperators made new breeding crosses between complementary varieties from each institution present. “This approach gives us access to five times as much germplasm as we would normally have” said Keith Payne (Cornell University). Walter Goldstein (Mandaamin Institute, WI) was pleased with the performance of his nitrogen efficient corn. Lois Grant (New Mexico State University) was impressed with the performance of new germplasm from North Carolina State University. “Heat and drought stress are big problems in New Mexico and this material does pretty well.”
Click on the picture to view more photos of insects in the winter nursery!
Feb 2, 2015
Article in Seed World, February, 2015 by Julie Deering. Read the article at http://seedworld.com/organic-seed-gains-ground/
Jan 1, 2015
Lancaster Farming article by Philip Gruber on 1/3/2015 about the eOrganic webinar: A Certified Organic Winter Nursery for Corn Breeding, by Bryan Brunner, Kevin Montgomery and Paul Scott. Read more at http://www.lancasterfarming.com/news/Organic-Corn-Breeding-Goes-South-fo...
Jan 1, 2015
Article on NIFA Support for Organic Agriculture by Scott Elliott, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, on December 23, 2014. See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/12/23/preparing-a-holiday-feast-serve-up-the-...
Funding
This project was funded in 2014 by the Organic Research and Extension Initiative grant, part of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Grant number 2014-51300-22250
