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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #203421
Title: SEED QUALITY OF HIGH PROTEIN CORN LINES IN ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL FARMING SYSTEMS

Author
item DE GEUS, YARA - ISU
item GOGGI, SUSANA - ISU
item Pollak, Linda

Submitted to: Agronomy for Sustainable Development
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/24/2008
Publication Date: 10/1/2008
Citation: De Geus, Y.N., Goggi, S., Pollak, L.M. 2008. Seed Quality of High Protein Corn Lines in Organic and Conventional Farming Systems. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. 28(4):541-550.

Interpretive Summary: Our previous research showed that where corn seeds are produced affects their quality, so producing corn seed in organic farming systems may have different seed quality than the seed produced in conventional farming systems. Seed quality is important for organic farmers because they cannot use the chemical seed treatments used by conventional farmers. We compared the seed quality of corn varieties produced on organic and conventional farms to determine the effect of farming system on seed quality. Germination, especially under stressful conditions, was less for seeds produced on the organic farm. The varieties with good seed quality in the conventional system also had good seed quality in the organic farming system. The protein content of seed of the varieties was similar in both production systems, but oil content of seed was higher in the organic system. This information will be important to producers of corn seed for organic farmers, who are required to produce the seed in organic systems. Organic corn farmers, many of whom use their corn to feed livestock on-farm, are interested in the protein and oil content of their feed corn. More research is needed in order to produce consistent high-quality corn seed for organic farmers.

Technical Abstract: In sustainable farming systems, where varieties often grow under more stressful conditions than in conventional farming systems, seed quality is especially important for crop establishment. Previous research suggests that corn (Zea mays L.) genotypes and the environment where seeds are produced affect seed quality. The objective of this study was to compare seed quality differences between corn (Zea mays L.) grown in organic and conventional farming systems. Twenty high protein breeding genotypes were planted during two growing seasons in conventional and organic nurseries near Ames, Iowa, to produce seeds for laboratory tests. The germination and saturated cold test percentages of seeds produced organically were lower than for seeds produced conventionally. Location by genotype interactions were non significant in 2003 and 2004, indicating that genotypes selected for high seed quality in a conventional system will also have high seed quality in the organic system. Protein, measured by NIR, was unaffected by the production environment, but the oil content of seeds produced organically was significantly higher than in the conventional system. This indicates that selecting for higher protein content in a conventional nursery will result in lines that also have higher protein content in the organic farming system. Seed for organic production will eventually need to be grown organically, thus research is needed to ensure excellent seed quality in organic corn seed production.