Combining the Body and the Chassis

Pioneer elite germplasm provides the foundation for a growing set of valuable traits

You wouldn't buy a car strictly for the looks. And most of us wouldn't be too proud of an "old beater" even if it still had a sweet engine. The same goes for corn hybrids and soybean varieties: We all want something that offers the necessary agronomic traits and still has plenty of "power under the hood."

Pioneer is working to provide all the extras today's corn and soybean growers expect while continuing to improve the elite germplasm frame. "Our goal is to bring the best technology traits along with the most productive germplasm to customers," explains Joe Keaschall, Pioneer maize research director.

"In the past, we identified a proven genotype, or plant genetic type, and added the available valuable traits to it," Keaschall says. "Now we're developing the genotype and the traits together."

Pioneer sometimes adds the special traits in the intermediate stages of hybrid development, sometimes early in the process.

"It's like air conditioning in a car," says Bill Kuhn, another Pioneer maize research director. "Years ago, it was fine to buy a car without AC. Now it's standard equipment. The same goes for many traits growers now demand in corn hybrids."

In the future, the traits and the elite germplasm will be incorporated into what now is called the base version of the hybrid.

"In many areas, we will introduce the version with the technology trait(s) already included," Kuhn says. "The traditional base version may or may not follow. However, we will always offer alternatives to make sure growers can meet refuge requirements and practice good stewardship."

Best of both worlds
Pioneer is working on a range of new traits to meet the needs of 21st-century farmers. But the company will not sacrifice its established commitment to build these products with elite germplasm.

To reach this goal, Pioneer is using a wealth of historical information about its genetic lines with cutting-edge science. In corn, Pioneer can rely on nearly 80 years of phenotypic (physical appearance) data on its lines, dating back to great-great-great-great-grandparent lines. Researchers are using molecular breeding technology to get the most out of this database.

"For breeding purposes, this pedigree and molecular information is our sacred text," Keaschall says. "We use it for many purposes. After six or seven generations of plant breeding and careful selection for positive traits, we see chunks of DNA from those early plants still intact in many new hybrids. This demonstrates the value of retaining good genetic material in our products."

Pioneer can identify the history of these genes and gene sequences. "Competitors can't say this," Keaschall notes. "They may be able to identify the genetic material in their products, but they'll have a hard time recognizing how the parts are assembled."

Learning the germplasm
Pioneer plant breeders spend years getting to know the intricacies of Pioneer genetic stocks. This ultimately helps them develop products with traits customers need.

"We tend to have a long continuity within our breeding program," Keaschall says. "It takes five years to gain an intimacy with the germplasm collection."

This means Pioneer plant breeders have seen a lot of challenges and understand the importance of keeping native defensive traits in the product lineup. For instance, even if green snap hasn't reared its head in several years, Pioneer breeders remember the damage it has caused and keep this valuable defensive trait alive in Pioneer® brand hybrids.

"We keep our breeders motivated because their experiences with how plants have reacted to challenges help us maintain high levels of valuable traits," Keaschall says.

Kuhn says Pioneer plant breeders also must understand what regions need specific traits. Without close interaction with Pioneer sales professionals and customers, this understanding would be difficult to achieve.

The value of diversity
"Genetic diversity is vital for any crop," Keaschall says. "We know exactly how diverse each Pioneer hybrid is from other Pioneer hybrids. Competitor seed companies often use the same base genetics."

"Their practice limits genetic diversity, which means the next new pest or disease could subject all growers to more risk," Kuhn explains. "All our products are unique to Pioneer. We can ensure diversity because we can trace hybrid backgrounds back many generations, all the way to the open-pollinated source varieties in the 1920s."

The value of convenience
"Any trait we add to a hybrid - at any point in its development - must offer a value advantage for the customer," Keaschall says. "This often comes in the form of convenience, which is a factor we all tend to undervalue."

Glyphosate resistance is one trait many customers want in their hybrids. Pioneer continues to work on a glyphosate-resistance alternative. "Like your car's air conditioning, it would be there when you need it even if glyphosate were not your primary herbicide," Keaschall says.

Revolutionary progress
While Pioneer draws liberally from its knowledge of plant ancestors, newer breeding technology gets people excited. Molecular genetics allows Pioneer to establish an association between phenotype and genotype. Pioneer can determine if a trait in the field is related to a specific gene or sequence of genes. As this knowledge base grows, it will revolutionize corn breeding, Keaschall says.

"We will be able to more efficiently use native traits in elite and exotic germplasm collected from around the world," he explains. "We can take parts of plants that previously were of no obvious value and use them to improve the product lineup."

Sequence secrets
"Understanding the complete pedigree back to those open-pollinated ancestors provides the key to unlocking the secrets of gene sequencing," Kuhn says. "We will be better able to understand how genes interact based on the vast historical perspective we've developed."

So which is most important: the germplasm collection, the historical data or the new molecular genetics technology? In truth, it's all three.

"In some areas, when challenges arise, the single trait may actually trump the germplasm temporarily," Keaschall says. "Seed companies rush to get the beneficial trait into hybrids or varieties for that area. Then the value of the underlying germplasm again becomes the differentiation between hybrids."