Plant Breeding

Geoff Graham,
Vice President of Global Plant Breeding
Pioneer Worldwide Research Centers

01/15
Domestication of Crops
Domestication of Corn
Domestication of Corn
Corn Americas and Global Crop Movement
 Corn Diversity

Man can select, preserve, and accumulate the variations given to him by the hand of
nature almost in any way which he chooses; and thus he can certainly produce a great
result."

Charles Darwin. The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication 1868
Pioneer Hi-Bred History
180
Corn
160 Belt
2004
1972-2007
140 Slope: 1.87
Plains
Yield in Bu/Ac

120 1993

1988
100

80 1954-1972 China 1983

Open Pollinated Slope: 2.82 1974
1970
60
1934-1954
40 1920-1934 Slope: 0.97 Single Cross
Slope: -0.46 India Hybrids
20 1947
Double Cross Hybrids
1936
0
1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Year Year
1950s: Expansion into 1970s: Corn Research 1990s:
1926: Hi-Bred Corn
Nebraska and Centers in Europe, Transformation,
Company Formed
Tennessee Argentina, and Brazil Gene Cloning,
GMOs,
equipment,
2000s: Stacked
1928: First Corn computers, large
1940s: Two research GMOs, Technology
Breeder hired: marker projects
centers added, enables MAS
Raymond Baker Testing expanded to 1960s: First Overseas
1980s: Biotechnology
14 States division established.
Group started. First
Winter Nursery Sites
Experience with
Developed.
molecular markers
1935: Became Pioneer 3369AFirst Single
Hi-Bred Corn Company Cross Hybrid
 The ERA or Decade Study

Developed by Don Duvick

Open Pollinatedcurrent hybrids
planted at a range of agronomic
environments
Entry list expands as new hybrids
and technologies emerge
Measures genetic gain in Pioneers
breeding programs in the context of
agronomic practice changes
Maize Germplasm Evolution Research Library

Maize Pedigree 1920 - 1970

Maize Germplasm Evolution Research Library

Maize Pedigree 1970 - 1990

Maize Germplasm Evolution Research Library

Maize Pedigree 1990 - 2000

Maize Germplasm Evolution Research Library

Maize Pedigree 2000 - Present

Stronger Stalks
Foreground 1930s Background 1980s
Stronger Roots
Left 1990s Right 1930s
Increased Flowering Synchrony

1930s

1990s
Breeding for Drought Tolerance
Improvements in Corn Productivity Under Drought Stress
Pioneer Hi-Bred International Hybrids
12
Bushels Produced / Inch of Water

10
In Drought Environment

0
20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90's

Decade of Release
 Photosynthetic capacity of modern agriculture.

5/11/2017
https://www.nasa.gov/press/goddard/2014/march/satellite-shows-high-productivity-from-us-corn-belt/
1926-2016: 90 years of Pioneer Plant Breeding History

High
r=0.74 DP7489900
34N43
DP7489892 34M94
DP5531294
34F02
DP5564663
35Y65

Genetic
34G81
DP748983634A92
DP7588419 DP7489908
DP7489937
DP7489812 DP7490093

Predicted
DP7490071 34B23
DP7490062
DP7480562 DP5770983
AG5520675
DP5564666
DP7489854
DP7489961
DP7480571 35D28
DP7490061
DP5564444
X1002F X1043B
DP7489809
X4M845
X1013H
DP7736313
36K67 DP7588376
DP7588415DP7588366 X1042H
37M81 X4N102
DP7489873 AG5520677
DP5770979
DP7490087 33J24
DP5571682 DP7477803
DP7588373 DP7480643
DP7489872
37Y15 DP7480570
DP7480572 DP7480638
DP7489804 3573DP7736379
DP5571702
DP7489846
DP7489805
DP7477780
DP7477778DP7588383
PR5507467
DP7477771
DP7477558DP7588375
DP7588397 DP7489877
DP7478722
DP7477580
DP7480557
DP5571754 36R10 DP7588395
DP7478725
DP7477579
DP5571790DP7477781
DP7477783
X1023A
X1012F
DP7478707
DP7477622 DP7477598
DP7477575
DP7478713
DP7477576DP7477782
DP7478710
DP7477585DP7477577
DP7477578
DP5571435
DP7478720
DP7477572
DP7478711
DP7477779 3730
DP7478790

Expansion
DP7478714
DP7477716
DP7478712
38P05
DP7477573
DP7477574
37H24
DP7478697
DP7477569

Low
18 20 22 24 26 28

Observed

New
Phenotyping

Breeding
Expansion

Trait
Introgression

Late Stage
Testing