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Show Page Fourteen - The Springville Herald - May 3, 1979 homeo garden feature Success in corn breed creates new problems Increasing the yield of an experimental corn variety is an outstanding achievement for a corn breeder. Once this has been accomplished you might think the breeder would want to go out and celebrate. "Unfortunately, it doesn't work out that way", says Dr. Bert Hornbrook, research scientist for Funk Seeds International of Bloomington, Illinois. "It just creates additional problems. "Increased yield", Dr. Hornbrook advised, "requires making the stalks stronger to support the addtional weight. Then you have to strengthen the root system and build greater resistance to root worm and larvae. And along the way stalk rot resistance may have to be improved. "Success in breeding a high yield potential". Dr. Hornbrook summerized, "actually opens up a whole new complex of problems." You get some idea of what a corn breeder is up against by tracing the development of G-4574, a new hybrid silage corn, recently introduced by Dr. Hornbrook and Dr. Kodnev Kdmundson. (i-4574 is a "3-way cross which means its parentage paren-tage includes three separate in-bred lines. Although the first line was made available in February, 1964, the original development work started in the early UT(i's. The second line was completed in 1966 and the third line in April, 1972. The major traits desired for and bred into (;-4574 included high grain yield, vigor, large, girthy ears, comparatively com-paratively large kernels, high bushel weight, good height, upright growing leaves, good stalk quality, top tonnage potential and Ix-tter than average root strength. Dr. Hornbrook believes that during the past few years the most significant advances in corn breeding have focused on developing improved insect and disease resistance-factors that exercise a profound effect on yield and standability. Progress in breeding improved varieties is indicated by Dr. Horn-brook's Horn-brook's statement that "today the gene that carries resistance to Northern leaf blight is routinely bred into all varieties compared to 15 years ago when very few hybrids had this gene." Incorporating just a single trait in a new variety can be a monumental undertaking. un-dertaking. Here, for example, are a few of the breeding procedures required for improving just one trait: stalk quality. The program starts when Dr. Hornbrook selects a promising ex-perimental ex-perimental which, although possessing several desirable traits, is weak in stalk quality. Mitt 8 "UL1208 'Ml OTHER SIZES 4" TO 24" CONCRETE PIPE. IRRIGATION and DRAINAGE, All SIZES ALL PRICES ARE PLANT PICK-UP SALT LAKE: 333 So. Rtdwood Road North Silt Laka. Ph. 932-1111 OGDEN: 601 Wait 12th SI., Ph. 399-1171 LOGAN: South Highway 91, Ph. 752-6310 PROVO: Ph. 373-6600 (no toll charga) His first project focuses on selecting other plants with superior stalk quality which will provide the germ plasm for "beefing up" his original selections. Dr. Hornbrook then proceeds on a program designed to "mix up" the genes by cross breeding. The resulting crosses are subjected to tedious and painstaking evaluation until plants with the desired traits are obtained. ( )ne procedure involves inoculating the stalks of the plants shortly after pollination with five separate stalk rot ogranisms. An inoculating needle is used to penetrate the stalk Ix'tween the second and third internodes. Each plant's resistance to the disease organisms is evaluated at harvest time. The general health of the stalks is determined by pushing in the sidewalls or splitting the stalks to evaluate resistance. Evaluation of the rind indicates its strength relative to supporting the plant in an upright position. Healthy appearing ap-pearing plants could still possess poor rind quality. Duging the pollination period a rind penetrometer is pushed into the stalk to determine deter-mine the strength of the rind by measuring its thickness. The gauge indicates the amount of pressure required to penetrate the rind; the greater the pressure, the thicker the rind. A crushing device is also available lor this particular par-ticular evaluation. 'Another equally important trait", says Dr. Hornbrook, "is the depth or intensity of green coloring in the stalk." This trait is evaluated at harvest time. A deep green color indicates good health. Excessive fading could indicate a weakness that might cause the plant to topple. However, a good, thick rind would tend to minimize this condition. Stalk quality is thus determined by lour separate evaluation factors: disease resistance, general health, rind quality and intensity of green coloring at harvest time. However, stalk quality is just one facet in the total evaluation procedure. The total development cost lor a new 3-way cross such as G-4574 could approximate several hundred thousand dollars over a 20 year period. Yet the breeder's desire for developing new and improved varieties is never-ending. Actually, each new intoduction is simple a stepping stone to its successors. Itv .l.uslin Scharff The safety of the State is the highest law. The principal foundation foun-dation of all states are good laws and good arms. Machiavelli lo'ia0 12 VIS 54 Pllltip tests save li Itichurd K.(. l it fin, i:leiision Wilier Kcsmircc Specialist I tall Stale I 'Diversity Whether pumping from wells or from surface water supplies, many Utah irrigators have been paying more than necessary for the energy expended. A Utah pump testing project disclosed thiit 75 percent of the pumps were operating below 66 percent efficiency, ef-ficiency, which is considered con-sidered standard. In fact, in over 120 tests made in 1977 the average efficiency was 54.5 percent. per-cent. In 2U:5 tests made during 197H the average efficiency was 55 percent. Some 40 percent of those tested in 1978 were operating Mow 55 percent. per-cent. Since effort was made to test a cross section of the irrigation pumps in Utah, we feel that this indicates a lot of room for improvement in pumping efficiency over the state. Personnel of the Utah Slate University Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering Department conducted the tests. Data collected indicates that a potential savings of 20 percent could be achieved if all 'the pumping plants in Utah were brought up to (Hi percent plant efficiency. ef-ficiency. Taking into consideration total irrigation pumping energy used in the state, we see that this improvement im-provement in efficiency could bring a potential savings of over one million dollars annually in pumping costs for Utah irrigators. The pump testing project was conducted through the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station in cooperation with Utah Power and Light Company. This test of pump plant efficiencies wiis considered the first step in energy conservation con-servation iind reduced operating costs. Owners are advised to balance the energy savings against the cost of repairs or replacements needed to improve the pump efficiency. ef-ficiency. In the past, the rule of thumb has said th;it you can afford to scnd for pump repairs or replacement three times the expected annual amount of energy-savings. energy-savings. Under the current situation of escalating costs of energy, you may well multiply by a value of lour or more. F .w$m " l l.avcll Ostler, Springville, devotes hours to the cultivation of a large section of peonies growing in his garden. Enjoy, save your family iii It. Ilainson. I'AlCllsioll IIiii lieultiii ist I lah Slate I niversity II your family is willing to put forth the necessary effort to have a productive garden, you can by-pass the vegetable counter and save at the checkout counter. For a lew months you can enjoy iit tractive, flavorful and nutritiously fresh vegetables from your garden. Also you can plan lor canning, freezing and other storing for later use. Anyone who has tasted fresh garden peas, sweet corn freshly plucked or lettuce clipped and served at the next meal will argue against the idea that it' better to buy vegetables than to grow them yourself. You can add to the satisfaction and interest by growing some new vegetables and II you have a pump test thai indicates your unit needs repairs or replacements, you may Iind it to your advantage to consider more than the costs related to potential energy sav ings. You also may consider the interest rate iind the income tax bracket you are in if the investment can be eliiimed on your income tax. Sav ings in power costs constitute the biggest value of a pump test. It often pinpoints the cause of an unusually high power bill. For safety s sake . . . from garden newer varieties. Try-growing Try-growing some of the billowing for your family table : a spa rag us. rhubarb, broccoli, cauliflower, endive, parsley, salsify. Swiss chard, kale, egg plant and even . seasoning and flavoring herbs. All of these grow well in Utah. Some new vegetable varieties do very well in our Utah gardens. As an example, you may enjoy ripe tomatoes early In-planting In-planting new early maturing varieties such as Presto and Moreton Hybrid. Watch what experienced gardeners are growing. Often they sleet the best new varieties available. A Utah State University Extension circular. EC "Growing Vegetables Itecommended Varieties lor Utah. " will help you in vour selection of SHEEP OR COYOTES? Sheep, a renewable natural resource, utilize vegetation that grows on steep mountain terrain. But coyote predation reduces lamb production from a birth rate of 130o to only 79. at market time. It is not possible for us to stay in business. In 1967 we had )'i million breeding ewes in Utah. In 1979 we have 486 thousand. thou-sand. It's plain economics meat for coyotes or humans. UTAH WOOL GROWERS MOUNTAIN FUEL vegetables to plant. It also gives growing recommendations that can be helpful. Obtain copies through your local county extension office. iiinnllnldl ireGln)ln)iy)S Hobble Creek Canyon Road (643 South 1400 East) Asters Snap Dragons We also have Tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables ALWAYS HIGH 489 NOW IS THE TIME TO PLANT PETUNIAS (35 varieties) Geraniums Marigolds Beaomas du callfl Outside the Salt Lake area, call toll free 1-800-662-4111 or 4115. (In Wyoming, call Rock Springs, 362-8888) It is the digging season. On the farm or in your yard. By calling one number before you dig, you can avoid buried utility cables. 532-5000 is a central telephone number connected to Mountain Fuel Supply, Mountain Bell, and Utah Power and Light. When you call, an operator will take down the location you want to plant or landscape. The information will be relayed by teletype to the gas, phone and power companies. If utility cables have been buried in your area, these companies com-panies will mark them with blue stakes so you can dig around the lines. If no lines are in the area, you'll be called back and notified. Remember... call before you dig. You'll eliminate unnecessary Interruptions of service . . . and more important, you'll increase your personal safety. For fifty years, people serving people. -II2K QUALITY - 5561 ESS" PETUNIA to PLANTS |