Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

General accomplishments of the NCR167 multistate committee can be found on the NCR167 web site: (http://www.agron.iastate.edu/corn/NCR167/). However, I would like to focus on a few important accomplishments that each member brought to the group in 2006: 1) Multi-state efforts have continued public breeding efforts toward finding profitable alternatives to farmers. Low cost population hybrids that are competitive with commercial single-cross hybrids have been avaluated over 30 environments at North Dakota State University. Efforts were initiated between the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society (NPSAS) and NDSU, SDSU, and UMN. One of our members (Dr. Coors) was elected President of the Crop Science Society of America. In cooperation with Dr. Coors we were able to develop a panel discussion at the ASA Annual meeting to address potential alternatives for farmers. 2) The development of corn hybrid with increased levels of essential amino acids continued at Iowa State Univeristy and a new strategy for improving tryptophan levels in breeding programs was proposed. Mating designs were utilized to produce progenies among QPM conversions of elite public lines developed an tested through NCR regional cooperation. The seed production will provide information on performance and how it is related to protein and aminoacid levels. 3) Texas A&M University has continued a project to breed corn germplasm to redce aflatoxin contamination. The lines used in the NCR late maturing trials are a consequence of this program. 4) Breeding for low-phosphorous and low-nitrogen was continued at SDSU. Joint NCR trials witn non-GMO experimental white and yellow elite inbred lines has continued to be indirectly beneficial to SD producers. 5) Molecular work was addressed by some of our members with new approaches to try to incorporate it to breeding programs. The Ohio State University has contributed to pur understanding of host responses to infection and increased our understanding of the number and action of genes for resistance. Verification studies of QTLs coferring resistance to multiple foliar pathogens of maize were conducted to assess the potential for marker assisted selection. Most important the maize breeding program at the Ohio State University has offered the screening of all early maturing NCR trial entries for 2006 which it will become a major cooperation among US northern Corn Belt states, Canada, and Ohio. 6) NCR167 trials over 15 locations have provided a large amount of data for new experimental US inbred lines. 7) As a group we have trained over 30 maize breeding students. 8) We have achieved a new structure of governance for the group based on one of the objectives we proposed in 2005. PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR: 1) We are planning to conduct joint trials that can address the limitations on testing in a limited number of environments. 2) One of our objectives is to interface with other groups.

Barata, C. and M.J. Carena. 2006. Classification of ND maize inbred lines into heterotic groups based on molecular and testcross data. Accepted in Euphytica. Carena, M.J. and Z.W. Wicks III. 2006. Maize population hybrids: an exploitation of U.S. temperate public genetic diversity in reserve. Accepted in Maydica. Invited paper for a commemorative issue. Carena, M.J. 2005. Registration of NDSAB(MER-FS)C13 maize Germplasm. Crop Sci. 45: 1670-1671. Carena, M.J. 2005. Book review. Travels in the genetically modified zone. By Mark L. Winston. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2005. 280 pp., ISBN 0-674-01529-0. In: Agricultural History (Accepted in June 2005). Carena, M.J. 2005. Exploitation of maize genetic diversity in the northern U.S. Corn Belt. Proceedings of the XII Eucarpia Genetic Resources Section Meeting, Castelsardo, IT. Guimaraes, E.P., E. Kueneman, and M.J. Carena. 2006. Assessment of National Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Capacity in Africa and Recommendations for Future Capacity Building. Accepted in Hort. Sci. (February). Melani, M.D. and M.J. Carena. 2005. Alternative heterotic patterns for the northern Corn Belt. Crop Sci. 45:2186-2194. Tollenaar, M., and E.A. Lee. 2006. Physiological dissection of grain yield in maize by examining genetic improvement and heterosis. Maydica. (submitted 4-08-05, Duvick commerative issue, accepted 7-05, March 2006 publication). Lee, E.A., A. Singh, M.J. Ash, and B. Good. 2006. Use of sister-lines and the performance of modified single-cross maize hybrids. Crop Sci. 46:312-320. Liu. J., E.A. Lee, M.K. Sears, and A.W. Schaafsma. 2005. Wheat curl mite (Acari: Eriophyidae) dispersal and its relationship with kernel red streaking in maize (Zea mays L.). Journal of Economic Entomology. (MS #05-003, editor accepted 6-20-05). Weir, A.D., J. Omielan, E.A. Lee, and I. Rajcan. 2005. Use of NMR spectroscopy for predicting protein concentration in soybean seeds based on oil measurements. JOACS. 82:87-91. Heckenberger M, Bohn M, Frisch M, Maurer HP, and AE Melchinger. 2005. Identification of Essentially Derived Varieties With Molecular Markers: an Approach Based on Statistical Test Theory and Computer Simulations. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 111(3):598-608. Heckenberger M, Bohn M, Klein D, and AE Melchinger. 2005. Identification of Essentially Derived Varieties Obtained From Biparental Crosses of Homozygous Lines: II. Morphological Distances and Heterosis in Comparison With Simple Sequence Repeat and Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Data in Maize. Crop Science 45(3):1132-1140. Heckenberger M, Bohn M, and AE Melchinger. 2005. Identification of Essentially Derived Varieties Obtained From Biparental Crosses of Homozygous Lines: I. Simple Sequence Repeat Data From Maize Inbreds. Crop Science 45(3):1120-1131. Papst C, Utz HF, Melchinger AE, Eder J, Magg T, Klein D, and M Bohn. 2005. Mycotoxins Produced by Fusarium Spp. In Isogenic Bt vs. Non-Bt Maize Hybrids Under European Corn Borer Pressure. Agronomy Journal 97(1):219-224. Reif JC, Hamrit S, Heckenberger M, Schipprack W, Maurer HP, Bohn M, and AE Melchinger. 2005. Genetic Structure and Diversity of European Flint Maize Populations Determined With SSR Analyses of Individuals and Bulks. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 111(5):906-913. Reif JC, Hamrit S, Heckenberger M, Schipprack W, Maurer HP, Bohn M, and AE Melchinger. 2005. Trends in Genetic Diversity Among European Maize Cultivars and Their Parental Components During the Past 50 Years. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 111(5):838-845. Reif JC, Zhang P, Dreisigacker S, Warburton ML, Van Ginkel M, Hoisington D, Bohn M, and AE Melchinger. 2005. Wheat Genetic Diversity Trends During Domestication and Breeding. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 110(5):859-864. Yu, J., M. Arbelbide, and R. Bernardo. 2005. Power of in silico QTL mapping from phenotypic, pedigree, and marker data in a hybrid breeding program. Theor. Appl. Genet. 110: 1061-1067. Tabanao, D.A., and R. Bernardo. 2005. Genetic variation in maize breeding populations with different numbers of parents. Crop Sci. 45: 2301-2306. Arbelbide, M., J. Yu, and R. Bernardo. 2006. Power of mixed-model QTL mapping from phenotypic, marker, and pedigree data in self-pollinated crops. Theor. Appl. Genet. DOI: 10.1007/s00122-005-0189-7 Arbelbide, M., and R. Bernardo. 2006. Mixed-model QTL mapping for kernel hardness and dough strength in bread wheat. Theor. Appl. Genet. DOI: 10.1007/s00122-005-0190-1 Bernardo, R., and A. Charcosset. 2006. Usefulness of gene information in marker-assisted recurrent selection: A simulation appraisal. Crop Sci. (in press). Asea, G., P.E. Lipps, R.C. Pratt., S. Gordon and A. Ekwamu. 2005. Development of greenhouse inoculation procedures for evaluation of partial resistance to Cercospora zeae-maydis in Maize. Jour. Phytopathology 153: 647-653. Gordon, S.B., R.C. Pratt and P.E. Lipps. 2006. Components of resistance to Cercospora zeae-maydis derived from maize inbred VO613Y. Phytopathology 96: (In Press) Pratt, R.C. and M.A. Casey. 2006. Registration of maize germplasm line Oh605. Crop Science 46: (In Press) Pratt, R.C. and S.G. Gordon. 2006. Breeding for resistance to maize foliar pathogens. Plant Breeding Reviews 27:119-173. M.L. Warburton, J.M. Ribaut1, J. Franco, J. Crossa1, P. Dubreuil, and F.J. Betran. 2005. Genetic characterization of 218 elite CIMMYT maize inbred lines using RFLP markers. Euphytica 142:97-104. F.J. Betrán, T. Isakeit, G. Odvody, and K. Mayfield. 2005. Breeding Corn to Reduce Preharvest Aflatoxin Contamination. In Aflatoxin and Food Safety. H. Abbas (ed.). Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York. F.J. Betran, T. Isakeit, G. Odvody, and K. Mayfield. 2005. Breeding Corn to Reduce Preharvest Aflatoxin Contamination. In Aflatoxin and Food Safety. H. Abbas (ed.). Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York. F.J. Betran, T. Isakeit, G. Odvody, and K. Mayfield. 2005. Breeding corn germplasm for agronomic performance and reduced aflatoxin contamination. Aflatoxin Elimination Workshop 2005, October 24-26, 2005, Raleigh, NC. de Leon, N., J.G. Coors, S. M. Kaeppler, and G.J.M. Rosa. 2005. Genetic control of prolificacy and related traits in the Golden Glow maize population: I. Phenotypic evaluation. Crop Sci. 45:1361-1369. de Leon, N., J.G. Coors, and S.M. Kaeppler. 2005. Genetic control of prolificacy and related traits in the Golden Glow maize population: II. Genotypic analysis. Crop Sci. 45:1370-1378. Krakowsky, M.D. M. Lee, and J.G. Coors. 2005. Quantitative trait loci for cell wall components in recombinant inbred lines of maize (Zea mays L.) I: Stalk tissue. Theor. Appl. Gen. 111:337-346.