Modern Hybrid Corn Uses Nitrogen More Efficiently

Today's corn hybrids more efficiently use nitrogen (N) to create more grain, according to 72 years of public-sector research data reviewed by Purdue University researchers. Tony Vyn, a professor of agronomy, and doctoral student Ignacio Ciampitti looked at N use studies for corn from two periods: 1940-1990 and 1991-2011. They wanted to see whether increased yields were due to better N efficiency or whether new plants were simply given additional N to produce more grain.

"Corn production often faces the criticism from society that yields are only going up