b'Science and techniques are tools for a plant breeder, much like different kinds of brushes and paintsHave we got you craving the buttery taste of popcorn?Well, worry no are tools in the hand of a painter. Just because a painterlonger! Try out this recipe for the perfect and fast at-home caramel corn has more or better tools, a painter still has to have the art to become an artisan and create beautiful paintings. itll fill that sweet and salty craving youre having.That is how it works for breeders. You cannot rely only on your tools to make a great hybrid. I cannot imagineCaramel Popcorna successful breeder being trained in the best classical breeding who would lack the artistic skills needed to make quality judgments in the field. Taking away the1 cup popping corntools provided by science would make it much more1 cup brown sugar, packed1 stick butter (4 oz.)difficult for breeders to develop the new varieties and1/4 cup corn syruphybrids needed to feed the world. We need the art1/2 tsp. saltcomponent to interpret and use sciences tools. 1/2 tsp. baking sodaAs an industry, breeders have been slow to adopt because they lack the financial incentives to support Pop corn according to package directions and place in a large paper grocery bag.investment in new technology. Gradually, popcorn C ombine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt; microwave until it boils. Then cook breeders are using more of the tools used by dent corntwo minutes at full power. Stir in soda (it should foam slightly). Pour syrup over popped except, of course, popcorn is non-GM. Doubled haploidcorn. Close bag and shake vigorously.lines are a more recent development. We did not have a haploid inducer to bringMicrowave corn/syrup on high for 90 sec. Remove and shake vigorously, then improved genetics into popcorn through the use ofmicrowave another 90 sec. Pour onto a cookie sheet to cool.DH lines because of a cross incompatibility of popcornCooks hints and noteswith dent, now we do. We have to use anything avail-For thicker caramel coating on the popcorn, use less popcorn.able out there to make us more efficient even if we are When using a high-power microwave, decrease second cook time to one minute.a bit slower in adopting new technology, according to For variety, add 1 c. nuts (cashews, peanuts,etc) and use slightly less popcorn.Max Robbins, Ag Alumni Seeds director of Research and Testing, Romney, Ind. In addition to the agronomic traits important for dent corn, kernel size, color, flake types, among others, are also important traits. Paying attention to our customers preferences is how we decide whether to keep or discard a hybrid. The result is often a slower rate of hybrid turnover than we have with dent hybrids. Listening to our popcorn customersPopcorn is one of the only situations in which you eatis part of the art of being a popcorn breeder. the result of an explosion. The Ideal Popcorn Hybrid Demetri Martin, comedian actor, director, cartoonist and musician. The idea of an ideal popcorn hybrid has not changed much over the years. Getting more yield and higher expansion are the two most important traits. White popcorn is more expensive because production yields are lower, at least in the field, and many growers do not We all can say we have the best hybrid, but we also know there is want to grow it. no perfect hybrid. Each has a flaw of one sort or another, Weeda says. According to Robbins, theatre operators knowEveryone wants the best eating popcorn, but cultural preferences can get exactly how many boxes to expect from a poundin the way. When I suggest that a white hybrid has the best eating qualities of popcorn. In making new selections, we evaluatewith a thin hull that breaks apart when popped, they are not interested. for many traits, including disease resistance, stalkIn the United States, only 10-15% of the popcorn is white. Social percep-strength, and kernel characteristics, but still, we looktion and culture stand against white popcorn, although it may be the best mainly at yield and expansion. Some customers haveeating popcorn. a preference for specific flake size. Small poppedBecause there are so many people that prefer the eating character-flakes do not generally have the same visual appealistics of white popcorn, I would make a white hybrid butterfly flake that as large flakes. The largest market is for hybrids withexpands and yields well, Thada says. I would like it to have lower ear yellow endosperm and the heavy caramel coatingsplacement and sturdy stalks that stand well going into harvest. We already used to make candy popcorn work best on the big,have those traits available. It is just a matter of being able to combine them ball-type flakes.into one hybrid. I am working toward that goal.SW68/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2020'