Corn chips – no crunch, bigger yields

Corn kernels with a 'chip' removed. Newer methods
require even smaller slices of the seed corn.

By analyzing a sliver – chip – of a corn seed, plant researchers can discover if it has the right genetics and yield potential before it ever goes on to the next phase of research.

Automated tools remove the chip, which while tiny, is big enough for researchers to analyze for the right genetic markers. If tests on the chip show it has potential, the seed moves forward and is planted in the next phase of research.

Removing a chip does not damage the corn kernel’s ability to grow but it saves considerable research time by eliminating seeds from the program without having to plant, grow and harvest the next generation.

With this sort of enhanced molecular breeding, the odds of finding the right combination of higher yield genes is one in five, compared with two in one trillion in conventional breeding!