The University of Wisconsin System was awarded a $585,503 project grant by the USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program to lay the groundwork for introducing the traits responsible for efficient biological nitrogen fixation into elite maize (corn) accessions adapted to the US Midwest. The key objectives are to:
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Determine the nitrogen-fixing ability of parent lines and establish a correlation between nitrogen fixation and plant traits like aerial root number and diameter.
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Identify genetic markers related to nitrogen fixation efficiency.
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Evaluate the nitrogen benefits and potential yield trade-offs of this new trait under various environments.
The maize lines and cultivars developed through this research could help reduce the economic and environmental impacts of heavy reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers for small-holder farmers worldwide. The project will run from June 2024 to May 2027.
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