North Central

Snap Beans With Enhanced Nitrogen-Use Efficiency for Organic Production -Year 1

The snap bean is a vegetable in the Fabaceae family and does have the capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium spp. Historically, easy access to nitrate-based soil amendments at a relatively low cost has precluded the need to develop cultivars with improved nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE). Excessive fertilizer applications containing 40 to over 100 lbs. of N / acre have resulted in leaching and the contamination of ground and surface water.

Developing "Organic-Ready" Maize Populations with Gametophytic Incompatibility Year III

The purpose of this five-year breeding project is to reduce transgenic contamination of organic maize grown in the USA by maintaining the integrity of organic maize seed.  Organic farmers are not required to produce transgene-free crops, but they must plant seed that is free of transgene.  An important objective of this project is the education of seed producers and organic farmers on how to use these “Organic-Ready” varieties for reducing the incidence of transgenic contamination. 

Developing web resources for organic production in high tunnels

Summary

Investigator: Kimberly Williams, Dept. of Horticulture, Forestry and Rec. Res., Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Project location: Kansas

Organic producers are relying increasingly on high tunnels (unheated poly-covered greenhouse structures) for season extension and crop protection. Organic production in high tunnels is significantly different compared to organic field production in several ways, including soil and pest management. We propose to develop web-based

Midwest Breeding Project Aims for Cold-Tolerant Sweet Corn

Summary

Investigator: William F. Tracy, Dept. of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin,
Madison, WI
Project locations: Wisconsin, Minnesota

Participatory plant breeding to improve sweet corn for organic farmers

In the upper Midwest, fresh market sweet corn is an important part of many diversified organic vegetable operations. Many organic farmers consider sweet corn crucial for attracting customers to their market stands or to their CSAs.