ROCKFORD, Ill. — The description of the activity sounds like
a project from a doctorate-level biotechnology course — and it could be and
probably was for some of the researchers at Monsanto studying not just plants,
but seeds and their genes and chromosomes.
“The tools that are enabling this from our standpoint are
advanced breeding technology, biotechnology and the technology advances that are
coming in terms of gene discovery and so forth,” John Fietsam, corn yield
optimization product development manager for Monsanto, told an audience of
Channel seedsmen and farmers at a Channel Achievement Series winter meeting in
Fietsam said advanced technology that allows researchers to
map more than 100 plant genomes in a day, compared to one genome per decade in
2001, translates to better ways for farmers to battle plant diseases.
“We’ve actually identified a range of a chromosome that
across genetic backgrounds is encoding for improved anthracnose stalk rot
ratings. Generally, we’re seeing about a two-point ratings improvement, and that
can be integrated across genetics,” he said.
Fietsam said in the future that means that a trait for
resistance to that disease can be combined with existing desirable traits.
“The next, best-yielding product to come through in the
Channel lineup that maybe would have been rated a six, in the future we’d be
able to offer that same set of genetics, that same yield potential with a
two-point rating improvement for anthracnose stalk rot, which happens to be the
most aggressive and widespread stalk rot pathogen in the U.S.,” he said.
Another disease that farmers are actively managing for in
the central Corn Belt is gray leaf spot disease and that, too, could be
alleviated in a trait.
“As we’ve looked at the footprint for gray leaf spot, it is
certainly one of the most significant pests we deal with from a disease
perspective in the U.S., and as we talk to our farmer customers, it is the one
that you are most aware of and most actively managing for, at least here in the
central Corn Belt,” Fietsam said.
The advanced gene research going on could help farmers one
day not just plant corn with traits for high yield and good standability, but
also resistance to gray leaf spot.
“This is a similar project, identifying alleles that, over
time, are going to allow us to shift germplasm resistance toward above-average
scores, moving from a five to a four to a three,” Fietsam said.
Yield is never left out of consideration — even when the
focus is on finding traits for disease resistance.
“Within the mindset of product selection is really our first
approach in delivering a biotech yield selection for corn, what we call a
higher-yielding corn. This is a single-gene approach that, over a broad genetic
background, is showing a yield increase. Generally, that’s driven through ear
size and improved ear consistency,” Fietsam said.
He said the focus is on how systems work together and making
sure that all factors are considered when selecting for various traits.
“As we get further and further toward market, we think about
the interactions, the system, how does improved ear consistency play out when we
get in a stress scenario, when we get into population management and pushing for
that next plant per acre,” he said.