26 / SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2026 with the Champaign County Farm Bureau Foundation’s Ag in the Classroom program, the lessons introduce agricultural science, genomics, computer science and more through hands-on activities. “We’re dedicated to teaching kids where their food, fuel and fibers come from, and popcorn is our state snack, so it’s a fun way to bring something into classrooms that kids can immediately connect with,” says Sarah Kaper, Ag in the Classroom director. “No matter someone’s background, chances are they’ve had popcorn,” Studer says. The curriculum introduces younger students to agriculture and corn through art and kernel- identification projects, while older students explore plant breeding using Legos to model crosses and create their own varieties. Kaper expects up to 3,000 students will participate in each lesson of the program. “We’ve developed the lessons with the Studer lab to be right on grade level and I’m thrilled to get to combine what we know about teaching with what they know about corn to make learning fun and exciting for students,” she says. The Search for a True Illinois Blue As for the original color project, Studer isn’t ready to let it go. “I haven’t given up on that, but the logistics have proven pretty difficult,” Studer says. The team has developed an orange kernel, though Studer notes it does not remain orange after popping. Color in a corn kernel is largely contained in the outer layer, with a white interior underneath. “People always ask me if it pops orange, but there isn’t a line I can cross it to that has orange endosperm to make that happen,” he explains. Most natural plant pigments break down under the heat and pressure of popping, which barley, wheat and brew ing grains, they looked into popcorn as a new revenue opportunity and connected with Studer. They eventually planted a 3-acre test plot of Illini SuperPop. At the university, plots are small and students hand- harvest each ear. The Riggs brothers needed a popcorn that could be harvested by combine. “We liked that the ears were bigger than other com mercial popcorns we’ve grown before. It made it easier to combine with a standard corn head and run through the grain cleaner,” Riggs says. Even with drought and slightly smaller ears than the team had hoped for, the experiment succeeded. The popcorn has been sold at uni versity basketball and football games, with plans to continue increasing production. Making Genetics Pop in the Classroom For Studer, the classroom impact has remained one of the popcorn project’s biggest motivations. Through a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Studer is helping develop a popcorn-based cur riculum for students across the state. In partnership is why colorful kernels rarely stay bright once popped. While a transgene could potentially solve the problem by creating a more stable pigment, conventional breeding is limited to traits and mutations already found in nature. Nature does not offer much blue. “We’ve isolated a blue that’s not the same chemical compound,” Studer says. “It isn’t consistent yet and a paper will probably come out on the unique pigment before we have an actual line ready. Nature just doesn’t do a lot of blue.” While that project continues, Illini SuperPop popcorn has been trademarked and hybrid lines will be released under the brand. There is a lag while inbred lines are bulked up for large-scale hybrid production. Nothing will be available for sale in 2026, but Studer hopes the popcorn could be available to home gardeners in 2027, even though that means handing off production. “It’s hard for me because I’ve gotten it this far, but my job as the breeder here is to get a product that people like and that farmers can grow and I’ll turn it over to someone else who can grow the seed at a high enough quantity to where it’s available in stores for consumers,” Studer says. SW Illini SuperPop ears display the kernel color and ear size researchers selected as they developed the new hybrid.
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