Identifying
Priorities
for Iowa's Future

November 2003

Plants and Their Systems

$24,010,000 in FY02 expenditures


The Questions

Experiment Station researchers work in areas that are both practical and fundamental, short-term and far-reaching. What key questions are researchers addressing for Iowans?

  • How can crop yields be improved through application of novel agronomic practices, plant breeding and genetics advances, and new fundamental knowledge on plant biology?
    • Field Crops $5,492,000
    • Forage Crops $5,077,000
    • Horticultural Crops $1,505,000

  • How can crop losses from damages by bacteria, fungi, insects, weeds and other pests be reduced?
    • Field Crops $3,808,000
    • Forage Crops $884,000
    • Horticultural Crops $1,402,000

  • How can the utilization of crops be increased?
    • Field Crops $1,643,000
    • Forage Crops $1,363,000
    • Horticultural Crops $478,000

  • How can the sustainability of crop production systems be improved to reduce environmental consequences?
    • Field Crops $662,000
    • Forage Crops $569,000
    • Horticultural Crops $1,127,000

Selected Impacts

Research results often improve understanding, help solve practical problems and build to greater discoveries. How has Experiment Station research impacted Iowans?

Field Crops

  • Soybean genes were discovered that control the interaction between the plant and soybean cyst nematodes. This knowledge will be critical in creating a means to combat this serious pathogen of soybean. Researchers also learned the nematodes continue to increase in fields after harvest. This means soil samples should be collected prior to planting in the spring to accurately determine the magnitude of infestation.
  • Progress has been made in testing and optimizing models that predict crop growth in Iowa corresponding to different agronomic, environmental and management conditions. Break-even costs associated with moving from single rate to variable rate management have been determined, allowing Iowa farmers to make more informed decisions about management practices.
  • Five soybean genes were cloned, each shown to confer Phytophthora resistance in transgenic soybean plants. The existence of 33 additional genes of this type was shown. The knowledge will help develop new soybean germplasm with broad-spectrum resistance to Phytophthora.
  • Manipulating nitrogen applications can maintain corn yields while reducing weed competition.
  • Phytodyne Inc., an ISU-created biotechnology company, has set up research collaborations with several private companies. They will use Phytodyne’s technologies to develop more precise, efficient methods to generate transgenic crops. The company is located in the ISU Research Park. Nine of the Phytodyne’s 11 employees are research scientists.
  • Three genes linked to quantity and quality traits of starch have been cloned from maize. This genetic engineering producedtransgenic plants with new types of starches. Two patents have been granted and one is pending related to starch biosynthesis genes. One of the patents has been exclusively licensed to a multinational agricultural biotechnology company.
  • A risk assessment evaluated the toxicity of Bt corn pollen on monarch butterfly larvae. It was determined that Bt corn grown under field conditions is not detrimental to many non-target insects, including the monarch.
  • Corn lines were screened to evaluate starch content. The new corn lines will be incorporated into commercial hybrids by traditional breeding strategies and will make significant contributions to U.S. crop diversification.
  • A model predicts the occurrence and severity of gray leaf spot infection of corn.
  • Crop nutrient recommendations are the result of long-term fertility studies conducted at five strategic locations in Iowa: Nashua, Kanawha, Sutherland, Crawfordsville and Lewis.
  • Improvements in yield, stalk strength, root development, maturity, pest tolerance and drought resistance have resulted from plant breeding research conducted annually at nine ISU research farms at Castana, Lewis, Chariton, Crawfordsville, Fruitland, Nashua, Kanawha, Sutherland and Ames.
  • Basic studies on the growth and development of corn and soybeans have provided a better understanding on the effects of planting date, row spacing, emergence, seeding rates, populations and crop injury on crop performance. This information is critical for yield projects and replant decisions linked to crop damage from weather or insects.
  • Extension recommendations and integrated pest management strategies are based on data from studies of cultural and chemical control methods. The work is generated from ISU's network of research farms.
  • A cover crop of yellow mustard planted prior to soybean planting, along with reduced herbicide rates, resulted in equal or higher yields and fewer weeds than conventional weed management systems.

Forage Crops

  • Models have identified the critical points in weed life cycles that are vulnerable to manipulation by changing management tactics. Researchers found red clover legume mulch improved weed management in a number of management systems.
  • Genotypes of alfalfa, white clover, kura clover and orchardgrass have been identified that may increase yield and persistence in Iowa, making them more economical to produce.
  • Connections have been identified between genetic, environmental and management practices and the usefulness of forage crops as animal feed. Producers can use this information to identify conditions that optimize production and forage quality.
  • The isolation of new genes may improve winter hardiness in alfalfa. The work advances understanding of a plant trait that makes alfalfa a suitable crop for Iowa’s climate.
  • Researchers showed it’s possible to use anaerobic digestion of corn stover, sweet sorghum and sugar beets to produce ethanol.
  • Switchgrass cultivars with superior adaptation for biofuel production in Iowa have been identified.
  • Forage and grazing research and demonstrations with sheep and beef cattle generated information on intensive rotational grazing, forages for drought situations and fencing innovations. Much of the work is conducted at the McNay Research and Demonstration Farm near Chariton.

Horticultural Crops

  • Strategies control diseases and insects in cucurbit crops without the use of pesticides. The result: lower pesticide use on cucumbers and melons and economic savings for Iowa producers.
  • Turfgrass germplasm was evaluated to improve tolerance to stresses. Perennial ryegrass was by far the most traffic-tolerant species in the seedling stage and should be considered for sports turf use to improve the safety of athletes.
  • Using rotations of small grains and legumes, horticultural crops can be grown profitably without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Also, insect pests can be maintained below economic thresholds by using naturally occurring predatory insects, resulting in a 10 percent reduction in production costs.
  • When fertilized with approved organic soil amendments, yields of horticultural crops can be similar to those achieved under conventional fertilizers. Research identified crop rotations for which organic yields met or exceeded conventional corn-soybean rotation yields.
  • A sooty blotch/fly speck warning system for apples was developed and validated. The weather-based system was found to be effective and saves fungicide applications, money and time for Midwest fruit growers.
    Studies of commercial horticultural practices and variety trials for melons, tomatoes, squash, sweet corn, apples, grapes and green peppers provided information to support Iowa's fruit and vegetable operations.
  • Corn gluten was successfully used as a natural herbicide for weed control in strawberries.

Selected Extension/Outreach

Science-based information is a hallmark of the Experiment Station and Iowa State’s land-grant mission. What key extension or outreach activities are making the information available to Iowans and others?

  • Greg Tylka established a large-scale soybean cyst nematode plot near DeWitt to demonstrate the benefits of planting SCN-resistant soybean varieties. The result: SCN-resistant varieties had yields greater than nonresistant varieties.
  • The Field Extension Education Laboratory provided training to over 1,400 ag chemical dealers who attended crop diagnostic workshops, shortcourses or Ag Dealer Updates. Also, the statewide Integrated Crop Management Conference was attended by 866 ag chemical dealers, crop consultants and producers.
  • More than 800 cooperators who participated in research on integrated tillage and manure management strategies reduced their use of commercial nitrogen fertilizer by 50 pounds per acre. Mahdi Al-Kaisi, Mark Hanna and Mark Licht coordinated the Integrated Farm and Livestock Demonstration Program.
  • More than 500 people viewed home demonstration gardens at eight ISU Research Farm field days. Seventy-seven percent said they'd try one or more plants or practices demonstrated in the gardens.
  • Extension field crop specialists, like Brian Lang in northeast Iowa and Joel DeJong in northwest Iowa, rely on e-mail newsletters to provide timely crop management information. Lang's "Crop Notes" is e-mailed to over 400 producers each year. As a result of DeJong's "Crop Update," producers scouted 17,000 acres for western bean cutworms and made appropriate treatment decisions.
  • More than 19,000 producers attended a private pesticide application training program. Ninety-six percent rated the program good or excellent.
  • More than 2,000 agribusiness personnel and farmers subscribe to the Integrated Crop Management newsletter. Eighty-six percent of readers said the newsletter contained information not available elsewhere and 78 percent had changed a pest management or crop production practice as a result of reading the newsletter.
  • In northwest Iowa, Paul Kassel worked with 22 ag chemical and fertilizer dealers to help them assess crop problems in the field. The dealers said the economic value of this education was $459,500, including lowered nitrogen recommendations; increased soil testing and soil fertility; and improved herbicide selections.
  • Kris Kohl coordinated three manure field days attended by 110 producers in northwest Iowa. Seventy-seven percent of participants stated that all of their manure was injected and incorporated into soil; 85 percent had tested manure in the last 5 years and 62 percent had tested their manure last fall and applied the manure according to the results.

Partners

Many individuals and groups support Experiment Station research and education in ways that go beyond dollars. Here are a few examples.

  • A Sutherland farmer provided composted swine manure for an experiment at ISU’s Northwest Research Farm.
  • Pioneer Hi-Bred International and Syngenta Seeds provided access to seed production fields for research on modeling kernel set.
  • Seed companies, including Sansgaard (Story City, IA), Syngenta (Jefferson, IA), Dairyland (Clinton, WI), Merschmann (West Point, IA), Ottilie (Marshalltown, IA) and Pioneer Hi-Bred (Johnston, IA) have provided soybean seed varieties for a seed testing standardization project.
  • Dairyland Research provides land for soybean research plots near Gilbert.
  • The Iowa Soybean Association is providing precision-farming from about 100 fields for ISU research funded by the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board.
  • Pioneer/DuPont has supplied proprietary technology to assist research on the development of new inbred corn lines.
    For a combine clean-out project, John Deere donated the use of a new combine and Van-Wall Implement provided a used combine along with corn and soybean heads.
  • Case/DMI has provided an anhydrous ammonia applicator for field research.
  • Prinsco Tile, Timewell Tile, Hawkeye Tile, Advance Drainage Systems, Springfield Tile and Diller Tile each provided a truckload of tile for a project adjacent to ISU’s Southeast Iowa Research Farm. More than 50 acres was tiled.
  • Pioneer has provided land and labor for field operations for research on developing a pre-plant risk assessment system to predict the prevalence and geographic distribution of Stewart’s disease of corn.
  • Horticultural plants, seeds and soil mix supplies have been donated by companies including Yoder Brothers, Fischer USA, Ball Seed Co., Plantpeddler, Burpee Seed and Hummert International.
  • More than 45 companies and associations have provided turf-related equipment, irrigation equipment, seeds, chemicals and support, including Aiken Peat, Andersons Lawn Tech, BASF, Becker Underwood, Dow Agrosciences, Gardens Alive, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Iowa Golf Course Superintendents Association, Iowa Professional Lawn Care Association, Iowa Sports Turf Managers Association, Iowa Turfgrass Institute, Jacklin Seed, LESCO Inc., Rainbird Irrigation Co., The Scotts Co., Sun Turf Equipment Co., TeeJet Spray Products, Terra Chemical Corp., The Toro Co., United States Golf Association, Valent Chemical and Williams Lawn Seed Co.
  • In soybean cyst nematode research, New Horizon FS Inc. has organized strip trial demonstrations; the Iowa Soybean Association has organized educational meetings; and iphaTech Inc., has provided Rhizobium inoculum.
  • On-farm demonstration trials are conducted annually with about 15 Iowa commercial fruit and vegetable growers.
  • Frontier Herbs has donated Echinacea puperia (purple coneflower) and Hypericum puperia (St. John’s wort) for initial work by ISU’s Botanical Center.
  • Seven local research farm associations have provided land to researchers to work on regional agricultural topics dating back to the 1930s. Work has centered on crops, soils, water quality and livestock.

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