Genetic Improvement

Genetic improvement, or biotechnology, is becoming more of a viable tool used to develop better crop varieties that we grow to produce the food, fuel and fiber needs of our citizens.

In 2010, 91% of the corn acres and 94% of the soybean acres in Nebraska were planted with biotechnology derived varieties (USDA Report). These would include insect resistant, herbicide resistant and stacked GMO varieties. For more information on how these varieties are developed see Making a Genetically Engineered Crop.

Whether you are ....

a producer or crop consultant who needs to understand how to carefully manage these resistance traits for the long haul, or....
a seed salesperson with many biotech-derived varieties in your sales portfolio, or...
a science teacher looking for information on the applications of biotechnology, or...
someone interested in how biotechnology has/is being applied to meet todays needs in food, feed and fiber production...

..you will find the navigation links on this site helpful in increasing your knowledge and awareness of many aspects of biotechnology.

More Biotech Info

Corn

Contact Us

Leah Sandall
Assistant Professor of Practice
UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
PLSH 279L
Lincoln NE 68583-0915
402-472-9295
lsandall5@unl.edu

Corn roots — The root system of a three-week-old corn plant processed through a computer vision pipeline used to automatically measure different root system architecture traits. (Photo courtesy Nebraska Today)

Nebraska Researchers Identify Genes that Help Corn Adapt to New Environments

April 13, 2023

The research team hopes to speed development of new corn varieties tolerant to extreme weather conditions and management practices as Nebraska farmers experience increasing water restrictions and fertilizer prices.

Diseased chickpea plant — A close-up view of Ascochyta blight in chickpea, showing symptoms on pods and dead leaves.

New Chickpea Disease Study Will Begin in 2021

January 29, 2021

With chickpea demand on the rise, UNL researchers are digging into a fungal disease issue that has long-prevented the crop's commercial growth in Nebraska.

David Holding and Leandra Marshall analyzing corn — Nebraska's David Holding (right) and Leandra Marshall (left) are developing lines of popcorn featuring higher levels of lysine, an amino acid essential to the diets of humans and some livestock. (Photo by Craig Chandler, University Communication)

Genes to Proteins: Enriching the Nutritional Value of Popcorn, Sorghum

February 21, 2019

After years of research a University of Nebraska-Lincoln team led by David Holding has roughly doubled the content of lysine, an essential amino acid, in both popcorn and sorghum. For sorghum it could mean a more complete source of nutrition for many in the developing world.

Stephen Baenziger, professor of agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will lead a three-year, $975,000 research project focused on the development of hybrid wheat. (Craig Chandler/University Communication)

New Multi-State Research on Developing Higher Yielding Hybrid Wheats

December 19, 2016

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln research team has earned a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop higher yielding lines of hybrid wheat that can meet rising demand for the staple food crop.

Learn more about genetics and plant breeding, such as shown here by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Department of Agronomy, in a 10-week online summer course designed for non plant breeders. — Work at your own pace to learn about genetics and plant breeding, such as the work shown here by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Department of Agronomy, in a 10-week online summer course designed for non plant breeders.

Plant Breeding for Non-Plant Breeders Online Course

May 16, 2016

Are you interested in plant breeding and genetics but can never find the time to pursue it? Do your colleagues talk about plant breeding and expect you to know what they mean? Do you easily get lost in work conversations centered on new findings in plant genetics?

If so, Plant Breeding for Non-Plant Breeders is the online, non-credit class for you. Delivered online over 10 weeks from June 6 through Aug. 12, this course does not require on-campus attendance.