There is no certainty among plant breeders as regards the origin of the corn plant. Certain authorities claim that corn originated in Mexico from a cross between game grass and a cross between a sport of teosinte grass and the original plant. Regardless of the origin of the corn plant we are very sure that great strides have been made in the development of the corn plant and there is no reason why we should assume that further development will not take place

Johnston, Ralph E.

Valentine, George H.

English

Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange

South Dakota State UniversityOpen PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access InstitutionalRepository and Information ExchangeExtension Circulars SDSU Extension2-1923Definite Corn Breeding PlotsRalph E. JohnstonGeorge H. ValentineFollow this and additional works at: http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/extension_circPart of the Agriculture CommonsThis Circular is brought to you for free and open access by the SDSU Extension at Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access InstitutionalRepository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Extension Circulars by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE:Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact michael.biondo@sdstate.edu.Recommended CitationJohnston, Ralph E. and Valentine, George H., "Definite Corn Breeding Plots" (1923). Extension Circulars. Paper 114.http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/extension_circ/114Ex tens ion Ci rsular No. 114. South D�kota State Colleg� and U. S. Departr.1cn t of . .:\.gricu1-�u: r 2 ..,oc1'.)erating .· DEFINII1.L CORN BREEDING PLOTS _ ............ -- -- --- . -· -·-By Ralph 2. Johnston c:,,nd Geor·e;e H. Valent irre E.,:tension Specialists in A..e;ronoi:1y Tl1.ere is no ce:r tainty 1nong :9lant breeders ·as rega.rc.s the origin of the corn plal1 t. Ce:rtain av.thori ti es claim thu t corn originated in 1.fexico from a cross bet-i.�reen ga11E, grass �-n: teosinte grass. Othe:rs say that corn probably 0-,"if;in.1,ted by a c:r oss between a sport of teosinte grass and. the original plant. Regai�dless of the o:ri gin of t�e c o:::n plant ·vle are very su::ce that great stride�:; have been Hade iJ· the develomaent cf the co:cn plant and the::cc is no reason 1vhy we should 2,ssm.ie that furthe�c development VJ"ill not take place. The India.ns !i1acle ':.ronc�erful advance�:nent in ti1e grow­ing of corn. It is ver·y st:rikin__cs to no·::e the differencn be�­tVJeen the ancestors oft.he corn plcmt end. the corn 1.;12x1t e .. s grov1n by the Indians. It is also very :J triJ.dng to note th'2 comparison of s orne of the ea1�1i est Indian corn Vi.i th afe·:; of our leading ccrn varieties in their presentstuge of a.evelo:p:ment. Mo VJild corn 2Jlan-c has eveJ.. been fou1d. The corn i)lant as we 112,ve it today is t!le result of human ef:f'ort to im­p�_, ove upon the grasses as -:-hey_ grew na, turally and f rem -_�1h ich the c. orn :::,lant d evel oped. ' It is ve r-:,/ inconvenient for tl1.c co:'n 0 rouer to not be able to look at an ee,:r· of corn and e;3t,irnate its production. :No systeL.1 has ever been ci.eviset m-Jdng sEch a plan pcs sj_b1e .. Conseque:r1tly, in o:rder to kno·q the 1-1: coducti.on of any· variety or strain of corn it is necessary to r;;row it 8.n.c"� teFt i ·- out. A ·.:.ro:r}:ing kno0.·;ledge cf corn breeding ..-:o: k is a very impo rta1'1 t r equiren1ent of a, s·:.1c cess ful corn g rov .. er" It is the aim of thi_s cir cula�r to e::r::pla,in the co .. J1.111on :rr:ethcd.s of corn breeding. ---·-co-op-e'i,..2:t1ve irx.tenE;i on Work r·_ A:srj_cul ture D .YlC.. Home Economics I Yi. F. Kur!1lie:n_. Di-·<ector. Dist1�ibute� in fu.I·therzmce of Acts o::C Congress o :, · ·: . .y 8 anl June 30, 1914. -2-A .  TlliL S ibrple s t C o m  Breed inPJ).yt : The av erage corn gr ouer d oe s  no t :;:ri_ sh to take the t i1ne f or ac cur ate cor n-br ee di ng: vm:ck . It wou lc� pr o ­bably bring nani fo ld x· etu rns for h i s  e f fo::i:' t s  i f  l1e c ould only ge t. in the ho.b i t o f  do ing t h i s  vm:cl: . A v e r y  s iri1ple ( me thod and al s o a v ery go od me th od out l in ed by Haye s and Gax·be r  o f  t h e  l:Iinn eso ta Exper iment S ta t i on i s  as i' 0110.-.; s :  1 .  ( a ) - Give sp e c i al :t t te nt i on to  a pa�c t of t h e  fie ld u-­us e a s ee d  c o i-·n plo t . ( b ) Plant an d c u l t iv2.te  care fu lly , u si:1g the hi l l  me thod and g r ov1 f our s t al ks :re. r h i l l . ( c )  Each fall b e f o re fr ost , .se le c t  e n ough s e ed f or  th e f o l l ow i ng y e ar ' s s eed pl o t ,  fr atl s t al ks \'vhich giv e  a g o od yie ld and w h i ch gr o w  in f our - s t alk hi lls .. { d )  Dis card only ti.vie v ery unde sir ab l e  ears and s t or e  each s e l e c t e d  e ar in a c areful man:ne r . ( e )  Te st  al l s e ed u s.e d  f or g er1;. :i �1at i on . 2 .  Save al l g ood see d  pr oduc ed by t he  ye ar ly s ee d  plot to plant the g eneral f i e ld .  3 .  C on t inue 1 and 2 each g ro up s ea s on .  The ab ove sys t�m is ve ry si mple and of c our se . , do  es not  t ak e  a l arge am o unt o f  t ime and c ould lY obably · be pra c ti c ed by e v ery co rn gI' owe:r very pr o f it ab ly , B .  The �a r - t o - r ow Ere e d i l'}g_ Pl ot � The c oTn gr ower i s  i nt ere s te d  in  s el e c ti ng fo � s e ed thos e e ar s  fr om the cro p whi ch wil l  p: odu ce th e type of plant d e s i red and t he hig he st yi e ld p er a c r e . As pr e ­v i ous ly s tat ed it  v.o u ld be  c onvenien t if t l1e c o::cn gr orr er c ould se l ec t  t he hi ghe st yie ldi :ng c orn by its. g en er al ap�pe aranc e .  I t  i s  n ot alYrays the large we l l  pr or) or t ione d ear th at one w ould :p i c l<.: v.rhe n s elec t ing f r oD t, he c ri b  that :pr odu c e s  the high e s t  yie l d . In many cas e s  the supe r io r  l o oking e ar s  have bee n  proc.:.u ced und er extreme l y  favorable c ondi t ions . Prol:>&�bly th ey h ave g :� own in a h i l l  of only one stalk ins tead of t hr ee or f ouT , pe rhap s on so me un ­usual ly f er ti l e  s pot or und er s ome n at ur 2. l  c onditi ons tha t w e r e  favorabl e t o  the i r  gr o wth . Th e :m r i  ts of  ru ch ears ·wi l l  n ot , in a 11 pr obab i li ty ,  be pr oduc ed in th e pr ogeny unle ss plant e d  und e r  the fav or able  c o nd i t i ons tha t  J?TO -du ce d them . The only re co ur s e o f  t}1e gr ower i s  to plan t the corn and s e e  wh at i t  w i l l  do . This ·,Nay o f' dete rri1i n­ing the yi e ld ing abi l i ty of ind ivi ciual e ars is  cal le d the e ar - t o  - r ow t e st •. 1 r. - 3 -The 12.nd t o  b e  v.s e d  for a n  ea r - t o -r ow t e s t pl o t  sh ou1 � be un i f o rm i n  fer ti li ty , ne l l  c�ra i nc d and al i ke ,  as near as is p os s ib l e , i n  e v ery re spe c t . If a pl o t  o f  ground i s  s e l ec te d vrh ic h  i s  n o t ev en an d n o t  un i fo:;:-m i n  every :i.�e s p e ct , che c k  r ovJs s h ou ld b e  pl a:'1t e d  eve r y  t enth r ow .  E. o we v er , we be lie v e  rn.o st S ou th Dak ota c o :c-n g r otJe r s  wi l l  be able t o  s el e c t  g o od e n ough l a.'1. d  s o  tha t che clc ::c o Y;s 11il.l be . un ­ne c e s sary . I t  is very e s s ent i al i n  t}1e e a :c- t o - r ov.- t e s t pl ot to have a p e :.cf e c t s tand ; A g ood pl an t o  f ol. l ow i s  t o  ·p1 2,n t ab o u t  f our 'k erne l s i n  ea ch h i l l .  Vlhe n the pla n t s are f i ve o r  s ix inche s h ig h  e2vch 'hi l l whou ld -b e thi nne d d own t o  tl1r€ e h i l ls but c u tti ng ouJ:. t he weake r p l �.n t s . At harve st ti me e ach r ow mus t be hus ked s ep arate ly an d the y ie l d  is d et e y·mine d by VJ e ight f o r  e c:. ch :r ow . The fo l lo-v1ing pla n of an e a,r - t o - r ow t e st p l o t  i s  an a t t emp t t o  si rnpJ. i fy th i s  pr2..c t i  ce ·"- . lt  t o  not sacr i f i c e  g o od. i· esult s .  The d e t ai 1 s o f  the ::i-e t ho d  a re a s  f o l lows : 1 .  S e  le c t  2 5  t o  40 .. e ar s  o f  th e _ var i e t y  t o  b e  p� rown . If  p o ss ible , s e l e c t  the s e  ea.r s in the f ie ld fr om. th ose s ta lks ·w:1i ch , i f  in a :pe rf e c t  s t o.nd , vdl l  give a g o o d  yi e ld. .  2 .  Ma ke an e ar - t o - r o v1 t e st o f  th E; s e  s el e c te d ear s . E acl1 e ar is  s he l l ed by hand. 2-nd kep t  sepa r at e . Only a p a:-i:· t o f  thi s i s  us ed t o  plant the rovrn  of -J1 e e ar - t o - r ovr p l o t . The r em2.i n de r  o f  th e ke rne l s  a re sav e d  and la.be le d t o  c o r re sp ond w ith tl:. e  i-· ovr . This :p ar t  of t h e  s ee d  sa,v e d  f rom e ach ear i s  C 8,, lle d  tl1.e re mnan t o f  tl1a. t :pa r t ic ul ar ear . 3 . From t l1j. s e a r - t o - r ow t e s t  :pl ot d e te rmtne by ac tu a� vrn i ght o f  _ c or n . in . each _ _  r�ow _ _  the __ hi_J;b e s t  _yi e_ld i P..,g r ows .. • 4 .  Mi x the r e  rnnc .. nt s of the h ighe st v ie 1d ing e a rs and. plant . in _a_ see d _]?l ot � s�o nd yes.r . 1.J s ual ly f r or.1 £:; 0 to ,..., !=:, (!/ 0 ·::-' Jt.,- 1:1 e -..1··e 1"1 '\ ':'> n + eri ..i�� C± c:: ,.,.101 l lcl ''o e  d 1.· c,_ r-a.,,..d e r1 ml. h".) t i· ("' v I J ;v ....,. .i. l .-.�"""' . .., a :� -....,. J.. v.. . � *- """ .1. U a -- Ck , o , plan t  y our s e e d  pl o t  t he  . fo l low ing ye aT vrit �1. the s e e d  f r om the hi gh e s t y i e ld i ng e cu· s , n ot t o  include 1:1ore than 5 0% of th e n urnb er o f  e a rs us ed. i n  e .a:r - t o - r o w t e st :9l o t . 5 .  The mo st d e s_i r ab l e  e ar s  f r  ora th e s e e d  'Jl o..i._i ;3 _you:' be st s o ur ce o f  seed fo l" the g en er al f ie lcJ. t he thi rd yee.r . G i ve s:pe ci al at te nt i on t o  a lJ G.r t  o1 t h e gene ral f i e ld s o  t ha t  a, unif orm s ·i::=tnd. may be o bta i n er L  S e l e c t  en ou gh s ee d , b e f o re a }�i J. l ing fr o:st , f:colil thj_ s par t o f  the fi e ld f or t h e  en t i  re f i el d t he f oui� th ye ar .  6 .  C on t i. nu e t he ri:e th od o u tl ine d_ under 5 f o r a pe r i od of f o tU' or f iv e  year s and t h e n  l,B e a 6ai n th e e ar - - t o - r ow :i,1e th o d  a s  out l ine d j_n l J 2 and 3 .  ,' -4 -EAR- TO -ROW C ORN TEST S12 T'EM Fi rst  Ye ar Ear - t o -r ow pl ot J Plant ear -to-!. r ow pl ot from . s el ec te d  e ars . i ·I Sav� re mnan ts . f De termi ne y i e -r l d  of each �ar ! Use  l and s e le ct  be s t \ remnant s  I one s . j o f  b e st · -\ e ar s  f r om e 2.r - to -ro w . �I plot • . S e e d  Piot · I b e s t  e ar s  of · S e co nd Ye·al' S ave Th ir d Ye ar S e ed Plot I Plant ed fromd I remna nt s of j e ar - t o- r ow pl o t  I · e v i  ous year . s e ed in f2,l l f r om 11€ rfe c t  h i l l ·s and vi gorous s t a lks . Pl o t  of I B e st  -1t le o.st  / c ars one ac re . l--) to y � -I G e ne ral f i e1 d  ' I plant ed f � om I e ar s  re mai n - 1i I ing af ter  se ed I l f o r  .se e d  pl o t  i ll ha s been s el e c tj _ e d . C .  Th e " S i  re and Damn B r e etlinR Plot ;_ T o  Gern r a  .. 1 Fi eld . A s y s te m  s omet imes u s e d  in corn b re edi ng wo rk inc lu de s  th e " si r e and dam 1 1  b r ee ding pl o t . A fter the highe st y ie l di ng ear s have b e en f ound by neans o f  the ear - to- r m.i7 t e st th e  re rnnan ts of th os e high p rodu cing e ar s  may be · use d t o  f u n1 i sh po l le n  f or t h e s ee d  pl o t .  Such r ov.;s are c 2.l le d the " s i re 0 .t r ow s  vh i l e  whi l e  a ll o the :r rows in the pl ot are c a ll ed the 11 darn 1 1  r ows . All dam r ov:1s a re d e ta s s e le d  and pla nt s a re fe r t i l i zed f rom th e s i re r ov1 s . In th i s  sys te:n s ee d  i s  s e l ec t e d from th e 11 dam 1 1  :r ows only . se e d  pl O t ,  <, Q -5-D .  j:h e Be s t  B r e e ding P l ot t o  Us e : .  .tT-i ,... C11. 0 ,rc:, ·:· ·� · -1· c -'"' +11e iJ· � e ea.J l· ·1,:- ._,., .l-o·t,'· c, · l�'l on f-1· oner-1 ba c:. >CL l. :JJ •=> ve .i; ; l. '-'.i. � .l l b lJ 0 .._ r..:;  v .. w_. ..a - t....J it s pa rt i c u lar advantage s .  Under c er t a in c ond i t i ons on e sy s tem i s  the b es t  w}1 j_le with ot ll.e r  �: o nd. it i ons nay !"er�uir e an e nt ir e ly di ff e r ent sy stem o f  b r e e cli ng . For t r.e av er age fa rner th e 1 ; S im:9l e s t C o xn B r ee d ­ing Flo t"  o u tl ined i n  S e c ti on A of th t s  cL c cu lar , i s  pr ob ­ably the mo st p::ca c t i c al .  }Tos t a ll fo.l';me :: s  c ou l d  we l l  af ­f ord to take the t ime fo r s uch j_r;i:p r ove 1�en t rr.e as ur e s . For th e  y oung c o rn b re eder , int e re s te d  in dev ­elop i ng a pure l ine o f  s ee d  the ear - t o - r ow pl2n i s  the b est . · The br e eder u G ing th i s  pla n 1: 1i l l  l earn mor e  abo u t  h i s  c o r n  c rop th2n und er th e  s irn._pl eT plan .. lf at  a. lat er t i me the eax - t o - r ow b r e eder  want s t o  in tor duc e 1 1  so �me re w bl ood " h e  wi. 1 1  b e  able t o  d o  s o  by the t r s i:;.�e and d am n L18 th o d .  

Definite Corn Breeding Plots

https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1113&context=extension_circ

Definite Corn Breeding Plots

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange