December 28, 2006

Corn can meet the increase in demand

As the ethanol industry expands in the US, questions arise about corn meeting the demand for food, feed and fuel.

Monsanto agronomist, Dan Zinck confirmed today's corn plant had the genetic potential to produce anywhere from 400 to 700 bushels per acre. The country had so far been utilising only about 44 percent of the potential yield, he said. The rest according to him was being left in the field due to stress.

The stress could be water, nitrogen, insects, disease or temperature.

The agronomist pointed out that the basic corn plant hadn't changed much over the past 50 years and the increased yields had been the result of higher populations.

The corn plant could tolerate higher populations, he said adding a better utilisation of water and nitrogen could increase plant population further. Current technologies or those in the pipeline could take pressure off the food, fuel, feed debate, he concluded.