By Justin Walker
Communications Specialist
A Texas A&M AgriLife Research team released several new corn lines better suited for the long growing season in the state.
The five hybrid corn lines will be able to handle the prolonged season, as well as multiple stresses in the future, Dr. Seth Murray, Eugene Butler Endowed chair at Texas A&M University and AgriLife Research corn breeder, said.
“These are the first lines tested, selected and released for commercial corn hybrid production in central and south Texas in over 20 years,” Murray said. “They will be foundational to our future inbred and hybrid production and breeding efforts.”
The lines—Tx741, Tx777, Tx779, Tx780 and Tx782—are awaiting commercial partners to make them available to growers.
“These new Texas lines broaden the genetic diversity of U.S. corn,” he said. “They can immediately be used in commercial hybrids and certainly should be useful in breeding new corn lines and hybrids adapted to southern U.S. environment.”
Texas stress and environments were also considered in the development.
“We also measured benefits including reduced southern rust, reduced incidence of southern corn leaf blight and lower susceptibility to Lepidopteran insects compared with commercial material currently available,” Murray said.