Pioneer Hi-Bred scientists to lift yield of edible fats in corn by 107 percent

In Iowa, scientists at DuPont unit Pioneer Hi-Bred International have identified a gene that determines oil yield in a corn, and have modified the gene to boost the yield of edible fats in corn by up 107 percent. The study was based on a comparison of 71 strains of maize.

Pioneer Hi-Bred has increased its partnership with the ethanol industry as part of a three-pronged DuPont biofuels strategy.  DuPont recently said that its biofuels strategy included: improving the yield of grain ethanol production; developing cellulosic ethanol technologies; and its butanol partnership with BP.

As part of the strategy, Pioneer Hi-Bred will provide $1 million in support for Iowa State University’s New Century Farm project that will focus on producing cellulosic ethanol, biomass crop breeding, crop rotation needs and ways to efficiently store and process biomass material.

Pioneer Hi-Bred recently introduced QualiTrak, a new measurement system that predicts ethanol yield on individual loads of corn delivered to plants. The reports generated by the system, when shared with farmers, will allow for the selection of higher-yield hybrids. The company did not disclose a projected improvement in yield from implementation of the system.

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