- Advances in Agriculture
- Food Security
- Innovation
Short Corn is Smart Corn
How do we grow enough to feed and fuel the world around us? We believe we can. Our work looks at how farming might use land, water and energy more efficiently. And we believe that work starts before the seed even reaches the soil.
Why Agriculture Needs a Smarter Approach
Weeds, crop disease, and pests are just the beginning. Today, climate change, declining natural resources, and supply chain issues are making the job even more complex. And farmers are serving a world that needs them more than ever — a world where 800 million people still face hunger every day. At this pivotal moment we need breakthrough technologies for a smarter approach. We need entirely new systems that optimize our inputs and outcomes. And we need to do it all in a way that sustainably benefits the environment and growers. But when we rise to tackle these challenges in the field…we’re discovering when the stakes are high, the solutions may be short.
How Plant Genetics Are Transforming Agriculture
A combination of better genetic understanding and digital processes has finally harnessed what previous generations of farmers and scientists could only dream about. Changing the way a plant grows is not a short process to explain, but here’s the key kernel: it all starts inside the seed, with the genetics, where our scientists can identify and select existing genetic traits in corn that affect its height. The result: shorter corn.
Why Is Short Stature Corn More Resilient?
Short stature corn (just like shorter wheat and rice before it) is bred with shorter, sturdier stalks. Shorter plants also make the corn fields more accessible to standard ground equipment longer into the season, creating the opportunity for more timely, precise applications of crop protection products and other inputs.
How Real-Time Data Supports Smarter Farming
But what happens inside a seed is only half of the story when it comes to growing crops. Every region on Earth–every farm, every field–has a unique, complex set of variables affecting yields. And these factors are constantly changing day-to-day, week-to-week, season-to-season. Flexibility to precisely manage a crop in-season, based on changing external factors, is critical. Real-time data about soil, water, humidity, temperature and more, can inform better product selection and more efficient use of resources.
Can the Smart Corn System Help Farmers Grow More with Less?
This biological and digital understanding of the relationship between crop and environment is at the center of the Smart Corn System. Powered by short stature corn, the system is designed to support: more precise input application, and efficient use of land. The real impact comes when this system is applied at scale: trillions of seeds that find their way to millions of acres each year that eventually feed and fuel billions of people. And, importantly, the Smart Corn System has the potential to be customized to specific grower needs across various geographic regions.
From Innovation to Global Food Security
We see this as one contribution to the larger challenge of global food security. Just like the leap from typewriters to texting… Or from a calculator to a supercomputer in your own front pocket… The Smart Corn System is just one example of a life-changing ag technology…with a potential that is only the beginning…In short, it’s pretty incredible...we see this as an important step in exploring new ways to farm