By Andi Anderson
Graduate students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are exploring innovative crop research through the CornBox, a unique 4-acre test site.
Professor Steven Moose, a crop sciences expert, explained that the CornBox is designed to function like a "sandbox" for agricultural experimentation, with 2 acres dedicated to corn and 2 acres to soybeans each season.
This summer, visitors to the CornBox learned about various active experiments conducted by five graduate students from Illinois and a graduate student and postdoctoral scientist from Cornell University. Among the projects showcased, three were particularly highlighted.
Matthew Runyon presented his research on leaf area mutations, focusing on altering leaf structure for higher density planting.
His project involves using a mutant corn variety with significantly smaller leaves, ranging from a 15% to 50% reduction in leaf area. The goal is to observe how these plants respond to different planting conditions. To facilitate this, the plants are connected to nitrogen sensors.
The experiment's results were clearly visible. Corn plants with smaller leaves were given less nitrogen, while those with larger leaves received more. Without sufficient nitrogen, the lower leaves wilted as the plants prioritized sending nutrients to the corn ear instead.
Another project aims to evaluate corn hybrids with higher nitrogen use efficiency. This study uses Pioneer hybrids from various decades, including some from the 1930s, planted in both low and high nitrogen conditions.
Corn from earlier eras, particularly pre-1990s, tended to be taller with bigger tassels and drooping leaves, whereas modern corn varieties are shorter with smaller tassels and erect leaves.
One of the tools aiding these experiments is a rover nicknamed Rhonda, a TerraSentia robot from EarthSense. This robot measures plant height, ear height, canopy light levels, and nitrogen influences.
What would take a person hours to measure manually in the field, Rhonda accomplishes in about three hours, according to Moose.
The CornBox tour was part of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Agronomy Days. These events allow the community and stakeholders to engage with experts from the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and witness firsthand the cutting-edge research being conducted at the university's research farms.
Through these innovative experiments, the CornBox is providing valuable insights into improving crop yields and efficiency, highlighting the importance of agricultural research in addressing future food security challenges.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-kotenko-a
Categories: Illinois, Crops, Education