Over the years, your Nebraska Corn Board has invested millions of dollars in research to pave the way for a better and more profitable future. Much of this research seeks to explore the vast market potential contained in a kernel of corn, while other projects look for ways to turn that potential into commercial reality.
Considerable research has also been conducted on using distillers grains, the coproduct of ethanol production, as a feed ingredient. University of Nebraska beef nutrition researchers Dr. Terry Klopfenstein and Dr. Galen Erickson are two of the nation’s leading authorities on the use of ethanol-related grain products. Feeding trials conducted by Klopfenstein and Erickson have given cattle feeders important information about using distillers grains and corn gluten feed. The Nebraska Corn Board has contributed checkoff dollars to support their research.
The Nebraska Corn Board has also helped fund UN-L research on bioplastics, detergents, organic solvents and more. Other UN-L projects have attempted to develop corn genotypes with lower phosphorous contents, to study the carbon sequestration potential of irrigated corn systems and to determine the effects of plant population and nutrient management on carbon sequestration.
The Nebraska Corn Board also funds National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) research projects intended to increase the value of corn. One example is polylactic acid (PLA). With the help of checkoff funds from states such as Nebraska, PLA has now gained widespread acceptance, and is being used in the production of compostable dinnerware, food containers, gift cards, clothing and bedding items.
Corn genome sequencing could be the next big research breakthrough. An early draft of the corn genome was unveiled in early 2008. It will further unlock our ability to get at traits and create designer corn and could result in many new products coming to the marketplace.
Each year, the Nebraska Corn Board releases a “request for research proposals” that is forwarded out, normally during September. If you would like more information on this or Nebraska Corn Board Research, please contact our office.
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