Corn Breeding: Monsanto’s Love Story

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: