Nt1310 Unit 4 Lab
1. Read the paper “Post–Green Revolution Trends in Yield Potential of Temperate Maize in the North-Central United States” by Duvick and Cassman (In Blackboard – Seed Technology folder).
2. By looking at Figure 1 describe what has happened to grain protein, grain starch, tassel weight and leaf angle score through decades of corn breeding.
-Some traits are held constant while corn breeders are continuously changing their ideas of the ideal corn hybrid. Also, the corn breeders are doing what satisfies the farmers. Grain starch and leaf angle score has increased from decade to decade, while grain protein and tassel weight has declined. This makes sense considering cattle farmers have to supplement protein into the ration since corn has very little …show more content…
Figure 2 has three symbols which are for planting densities of 10, 30 and 79 thousand plt/ha. Convert these numbers to plt/ac. I used 2.47 as my conversion of ha to acre
-10,000 plt/ha to plt/ac: 10,000/2.47=4,049 plants per acre
-30,000 plt/ha to plt/ac: 30,000/2.47= 12,146 plants per acre
-79,000 plt/ha to plt/ac: 79,000/2.47= 31,984 plants per acre
5. These question has two components: a. Write the equation for yield components for corn b. Explain why hybrids introduced in 1950 have approximately the same yield whether they are planted at 30,000 plt/ha or 79,000 plt/ha
a. -Yield Components for corn: plt/acre*ear/plt*kernel/ear*weight/kernel
b. Hybrids introduced in 1950 have less variability. The green revolution played a role. Corn breeders took charge and began to select superior hybrids instead of the old fashion way of doing it. Selections in previous decades had nothing to do with productivity just had an ideal look at the corn shows. Also, plants per acre has nothing to do with yield necessarily. Corn is going to have good or bad yields based on other factors like pests, weather and management
2. By looking at Figure 1 describe what has happened to grain protein, grain starch, tassel weight and leaf angle score through decades of corn breeding.
-Some traits are held constant while corn breeders are continuously changing their ideas of the ideal corn hybrid. Also, the corn breeders are doing what satisfies the farmers. Grain starch and leaf angle score has increased from decade to decade, while grain protein and tassel weight has declined. This makes sense considering cattle farmers have to supplement protein into the ration since corn has very little …show more content…
Figure 2 has three symbols which are for planting densities of 10, 30 and 79 thousand plt/ha. Convert these numbers to plt/ac. I used 2.47 as my conversion of ha to acre
-10,000 plt/ha to plt/ac: 10,000/2.47=4,049 plants per acre
-30,000 plt/ha to plt/ac: 30,000/2.47= 12,146 plants per acre
-79,000 plt/ha to plt/ac: 79,000/2.47= 31,984 plants per acre
5. These question has two components: a. Write the equation for yield components for corn b. Explain why hybrids introduced in 1950 have approximately the same yield whether they are planted at 30,000 plt/ha or 79,000 plt/ha
a. -Yield Components for corn: plt/acre*ear/plt*kernel/ear*weight/kernel
b. Hybrids introduced in 1950 have less variability. The green revolution played a role. Corn breeders took charge and began to select superior hybrids instead of the old fashion way of doing it. Selections in previous decades had nothing to do with productivity just had an ideal look at the corn shows. Also, plants per acre has nothing to do with yield necessarily. Corn is going to have good or bad yields based on other factors like pests, weather and management