Save Corn Seed?  Try New ISU Varieties

Kendall Lamkey, USDA-ARS corn breeder at ISU

The following corn populations are available in quantities sufficient for on-farm testing in replicated plots. The populations were developed by the USDA-ARS/ISU maize breeding program located on the Iowa State University Campus (http//corn2.agron.iastate.edu).

Later germplasm (would work well in the area south of US Hwy 20)
BSSS(R)C14 x BSCB1(R)C14 – a population hybrid
BS10(R)C13 x BS11(R)C13 – a population hybrid
BS31(R)C1 – open pollinated “synthetic” population
BS11(S2)C5 – open pollinated “synthetic” population

Earlier germplasm
BS21(R)C7 x BS22(R)C7 – a population hybrid
BS21(R)C7 – open pollinated “synthetic” population
BS22(R)C7 – open pollinated “synthetic” population

The germplasm labeled population hybrid are crosses between two open-pollinated varieties. Generally, the population hybrids that have been tested have better yield and standability than the synthetics. Seed of the population hybrids needs to be produced anew each year, like any hybrid. However, it should be relatively easy to do this on the farm.

The other four populations are synthetics that have been improved for yield and standability. BS31(R)C1 and BS11(S2)C5 yielded well last year, although BS31(R)C1 is a little late. BS21(R)C7 and BS22(R)C7 may not yield well, but they are the best I have access to right now for northern Iowa.