This figure from the paper shows the evolution of root types from teosinte to modern corn over the last 10 000 years, simulated using the modeling program OpenSimRoot, which was developed by ...

The western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, is an important pest of maize (Zea mays L.). Published WCR diets contain corn root powder, which is not available for purchase, ...

You can’t construct a strong building on a weak foundation, and you can’t grow a great corn crop on a weak root system. From freezing temperatures to voracious underground pests and other threats, ...

A unique confluence of archeology, molecular genetics and serendipity guided a collaboration of Mexican and Penn State researchers to a deeper understanding of how modern corn was domesticated from ...

A new discovery, reported in a global study that encompassed more than a decade of research, could lead to the breeding of corn crops that can withstand drought and low-nitrogen soil conditions and ...

The northern corn rootworm (NCR), Diabrotica barberi Smith & Lawrence, is a major insect pest of maize (Zea mays L.) in the North American Corn Belt. NCR and the western corn rootworm (WCR), ...

As corn yields climb across the U.S., farmers face a growing challenge: managing the massive amount of crop residue left behind. But within that challenge is an opportunity, according to University of ...

Corn was domesticated from its ancestor teosinte in central Mexico beginning about 9,000 years ago by humans selectively breeding the wild plant, transforming its small, hard-shelled kernels into the ...

For decades, his research group in the College of Agricultural Sciences has been uncovering how roots play a critical role in plant development and survival. "Corn is no exception, and it turns out ...