Corn Breeding: Monsanto’s Love Story

Feb 11, 2014

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Monsanto Co. is having a little fun this Valentine’s Day, with the release of its new spot called “A-Maize-ing Love - Coming this Valentine’s Day!”

The less than two-minute long clip inserts humour, while talking about corn breeding as well as highlighting how plant breeders are like matchmakers, trying to bring together the best “mother” and “father” plants to create an “offspring” plant.

As Monsanto explains on its website, plant breeding requires using two parent plants to create an “offspring” plant. The company said the following on its modern breeding techniques webpage:

“Just like a newborn baby will share characteristics of each of its parents, so a new seed will share characteristics of the “mother” and “father” plants that created it.”

While the short film is a little ‘corny,’ it’s a fun way to communicate the process of plant breeding, and how the results of some breeding can one day end up in a farmers’ field.

You can view the video below:

Video: Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Getting closer to planting season means one thing… it’s time to get EVERYTHING ready.

Today didn’t go exactly as planned—we thought we’d be hauling potatoes again, but instead we spent the day digging equipment out of the cellar, hooking up the grain drill, and getting tractors ready to roll. With wheat planting just around the corner, every piece of equipment matters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a normal day without a few problems… dead batteries, hydraulic issues, and a truck tire that absolutely refused to cooperate. We tried everything—jump packs, bead bazooka, ratchet straps… and eventually had to bring out the “big guns” just to get things moving again.

But that’s farm life—adapt, fix, and keep moving forward.

We’re getting close to go-time. Wheat seed is coming soon, and planting season is right around the corner