b'Benefits of Shorter Corn Plants within these strips. The untouched areas between the rows pro-From the stature side of things, people have been interestedvide a protective cover, reducing soil erosion, preserving mois-in modifying size for a couple different reasons, she says. Oneture and promoting the activity of beneficial soil organisms. reason would be that smaller plants require fewer nutrients andBy focusing only on the planting rows, strip-tillage conserves inputs, especially if you can get the same yield. energy, reduces input costs and minimizes soil disturbance while Other reasons for growing shorter corn would be the poten- offering many of the crop establishment benefits of conven-tial to increase planting populations and density. tional tillage. It is particularly useful for crops like corn, where Shorter corn also makes it easier for late season chemicalprecise seed and nutrient placement can improve plant growth applications or even intercropping. The shorter corn would beand yield. Even planter-applied starters and in-season y-drop less of an obstacle to planters inter-seeding another crop atnitrogen applicators all put the fertilizer close to the root zone, some point in the growing season.reducing the plants need to have roots that spread out wide and Additional, shorter corn has the potential to be more resilientgo down deep. against the elements, mainly wind. Especially in Iowa and other areas of the Midwest, strong winds have wreaked havoc on corn fields, knocking down large swaths of acres. Downed corn is much harder to combine and significantly impacts yield. The shorter, more stout corn plants have a better chance of standing up to the force of the wind, bringing much need peace of mind to farmers. It turns out that when we dial down the Mapping the Genetic Pathway expression of this transporter in corn,The idea of controlling auxin levels to influence plant height isit leads to many changes in organ size, not entirely new. However, Kelleys research has gone deeper, isolating a specific trait that affects how auxin is distributednot just the roots, but also in the shoots. throughout the plant. Dior KelleyThe paper Kelleys team published in early 2024 sheds light on the detailed genetic process involved. By mapping the corn genome and studying how different genes interact with auxin pathways, the researchers were able to pinpoint a specific muta-tion that controls plant height. They could not just reduce auxin across the board in the plant as that would have stunted growth altogether. Again, the goal was to just reduce root size and maintain yield production. Auxin is still needed for other aspects of plant growth. The team had toShort root systems are pretty cheap meaning that they are walk a fine line between controlling auxin without compromisingquick and easy for the plant to generate, Kelley explains. They plant health and yield.are not energetically as costly as deep systems.This is true of the whole corn plant, not just the roots. It takes Precision in Ag and Sustainable Practices nutrients and energy to build a corn stalk. By reducing the stalk Kelleys original focus on root size was intended to increase theheight, the plant is trying to grow, the plant can then redirect efficiency of the plant. With farmers widely adopting precisionthat energy sooner to producing seed. agriculture technologies, farmers can place fertilizers specificallyThis breeding program hasnt reduced the plant height to where they want them.create mini corn plants. Instead, a modest reduction of one to Strip-till farming, a conservation tillage practice that com- two feet has already demonstrated significant impacts.bines the benefits of no-till and conventional tillage, is a perfectIn fact, Kelley says the shorter plants often have denser, more example of this. It involves tilling narrow strips where seeds willrobust stalks, making them less susceptible to environmental be planted, leaving the soil in between the rows undisturbed.stressors like wind or heavy rain.This approach creates a seedbed that is warm and well-aeratedThis discovery could also lead to more efficient planting and for planting, while the rest of the soil retains its natural structureharvesting practices. Shorter corn means that farmers can plant and organic matter. more densely, maximizing their land use without sacrificing yield. The strips, which are typically 6-12 inches wide, are tilledIt also simplifies mechanical harvesting, as the reduced stalk during the fall or spring, and fertilizers can be precisely appliedmakes it easier for combines to efficiently gather the crop.JANUARY 2025SEEDWORLD.COM /19'