DEKALB Ag Alumni Assn
www.dekalbalumni.org
EARLY CORN BREEDING
DEKALB
Mr. CHARLIE GUNN
AN ABBREVIATED OVERVIEW
D.R. Smith
Zea Sage
1865
Gregor Mendel, an Augustinian monk, proved the
existence of heritable units (genes)
Garden pea cotyledon color
University of Illinois
1896:
In March at a meeting with Mr. Cyril Hopkins, Mr.
Eugene Davenport, a livestock specialist, who was
Director of the University of Illinois Agricultural
Experiment Station, pointed out that corn needed
more protein and oil to be an ideal food for livestock.
Mr. Hopkins, Director Crops and Soils of the
University of Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station,
undertook a project to investigate solutions. The first
plots were planted in May of 1896. This would
become the longest running corn breeding project in
the world. It continues today.
University of Illinois
1899:
Mr. Hopkins’ first report stated that in 4 years strains were
developed that had a third to a half more protein or fat than ordinary
corn.
1900:
Mr. Hopkins, a trained chemist, selected another graduating chemist
to join the program conducting the chemical analyses . Mr. Edward
Murray East joined the program in June 1900.
1904:
Mr. East was put in charge of the entire breeding program. He
immediately noted that the higher protein lines were lower yielding
than their ancestors and that as protein levels went up yields went
proportionally down.
University of Illinois
1905:
The University of Illinois hosted the American Breeders’ Association
in honor of the work started by Mr.’s Davenport and Hopkins. It was
at this conference that Mr. East met Mr. Edward H. Jenkins who was
the director of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
Mr. East convinced Mr. Hopkins’ that he should retain the identity of
the ears self pollinated by planting them using an ear-to-row
scheme.
Plots were planted and it was very evident to Mr. East there were
vast differences between the ear-to-rows.
Mr. Hopkins, who by this time was burdened with administrative
problems, viewed the plots over the summer, was not impressed
and ordered the work discontinued (breeding material was shelved,
not discarded).
Mr. East departed the University of Illinois September 1, 1905
Connecticut Experiment Station
1905:
Mr. Edward M. East started working at the Connecticut Agricultural
Experiment Station for Mr. Jenkins shortly after he left the U of I.
Mr. East saw that the easiest way to continue his breeding research
was to procure seed from the University of Illinois. He was able to
obtain seed from the research associate with whom he had worked
over the past few years. This was not made public until 41 years
later.
Mr. Jenkins suggested to Mr. East that he summarize the work he
had conducted while at the University of Illinois
Connecticut Experiment Station
1906:
Mr. Edward M. East wrote a bulletin entitled,” The Improvement of
Corn in Connecticut”. This summarized his research at the
University of Illinois where he was able to offer his own views, made
future projections of hybrid utilization and tied it to the productivity of
corn in Connecticut.
This bulletin offers the suggestion that hybrids made from distinctly
different varieties could increase yields by 10 Bu/A.
At this time the burden of producing the seed was targeted for the
farmers. The farmers were reluctant to change their long-standing
tradition of selecting the best ears harvested from their fields for
planting the next year.
Selecting the Best from the Best
Prior to hybrid corn, farmers would select the best ears,
shell them and plant the seed the following year
Connecticut Experiment Station
1907:
Mr. East made crosses between:
• the inbreds he had developed which had now been self
pollinated 7 years
•the inbreds and popular Connecticut varieties
•and the popular Connecticut varieties themselves
1908
In yield trials the best cross between the inbreds yielded 202
bu/acre, an astonishing yield
The best single cross yielded 100 bu/acre more than the best
Connecticut open-pollinated variety
1900 – 1908
INBREEDING
Right
HETEROSIS
1908 Dr. George H. Shull
Dr. Shull, a scientist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, and Mr.
East met in 1908 at an American Breeders’ Association Meeting.
Dr. Shull was a speaker and talked about his research on corn. He was
convinced that selection from varieties could yield inbreds of
innumerable subtypes. He called the procedure the “pure-line method
of corn breeding” and felt that the farmers could develop the inbreds and
make the hybrids on their own farms.
Mr. East’s background and previous experience with farmers led him to
believe a farmer would not take the time and space from his farming
operation to develop his own inbreds and hybrid seed.
1909
New Opportunity:
Mr. East is offered a teaching position at Harvard
Mr. Jenkins did not want to lose the corn breeding effort at the
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
The Solution:
Mr. East will continue to supervise the corn breeding project at the
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station while teaching at
Harvard
Mr. Jenkins will hire a technician that can follow Mr. East’s direction
Mr. Herbert Kendall Hayes was hired to assist Mr. East in the corn
breeding project
1911
A Publication
Mr. East and Mr. Hayes published a bulletin of the
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
entitled,
“Inheritance in Maize”
The bulletin had numerous pictures and much data pointing
out the importance of controlled heredity in improving the
corn crop. They established that segregation from offspring
of the selected crosses was the important and essential
feature of Mendelism (remember the Augustinian monk who
first identified heritable units).
DeKalb County Illinois - 1912
In the late 1800’s farmers in DeKalb County recognized the
need for improved soil fertility, balanced rotation of crops, a
pure seed law, more farmer control over the pricing and
marketing of farm produce, and the improvement of crop
varieties. This led to forming the Farmers Institute which
invited knowledgeable people in agriculture to speak and
inform the farmers of new technologies and ideas.
As the Farmer’s Institute success grew, in January, 1912,
local farmers, bankers, and the DeKalb county board of
supervisors met and pledged $10,000 to sustain an annual
budget for a new organization that would attack the
problems of soil fertility and legume seed.
DeKalb County Illinois - 1912
The DeKalb Organization hired Mr. William G. Eckhardt to
act as the organization's first farm advisor. This was one of
the first farm groups in the United States supported by
farmer contributions, the new organization was called the
DeKalb County Soil Improvement Association.
Mr. Eckhardt traveled widely to secure high quality legume
seed for the organization’s members and local farmers.
The educational services of the DeKalb County Soil
Improvement Association were rapidly being replaced by
the need for business services to accommodate the
expansion into seed supply and other business functions.
Another Publication - 1912-1915
Mr. East and Mr. Hayes coauthored an article entitled,
“Heterozygous in Evolution and in Plant Breeding”
published by the Bureau of Plant Industry, United States
Department of Agriculture in 1912.
With the hard work and schooling Mr. Hayes had put into
the corn breeding project at the Connecticut Agricultural
Experiment Station, he was offered the position of plant
breeder at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in
1914. Mr. Hayes accepted the position and started in
January 1915. During his career he distinguished himself
through all his contribution in developing the theory in
practical corn breeding
1915
With Mr. Hayes departing to go to Minnesota, his position at
Connecticut needed to be refilled. Mr. East turned to a
student of his from Kansas, Mr. Donald F. Jones replaced
Mr. Hayes at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment
Station in February 1915.
In reviewing the project Mr. East maintained the way to
utilize hybrid vigor was through the use of varietal hybrids.
Not enough seed could be made from inbreds to use them
for making seed for farmers to plant.
Following the 1915 season, Mr. Jones was so impressed
with the ears from the single crosses made from the inbreds
he convinced Mr. East to investigate further.
1916
Mr. Jones and Mr. East planned a very special crossing
block for the 1916 season. All of the better inbreds which
had been developed at the Connecticut Agricultural
Experiment Station were to be crossed in all possible
combinations and tested during the 1917 growing season.
At harvest time Mr. Jones noted how small the ears were on
the inbreds and felt Mr. East might be right that they could
never be of practical use to produce seed for farmers.
BUT, WHAT IF MR. JONES CROSSED
TWO SINGLE CROSSES?
1917
The United States enters into World War I.
Mr. Jones identifies the two most outstanding single cross
hybrids from all that were made during 1916 and crosses
them.
• One hybrid was made from inbreds developed at the University of
Illinois from the variety Leaming
•The other hybrid was made from inbreds developed by Mr. Hayes from
the variety Burr White
The DeKalb County Agricultural Association was incorporated.
1917 DeKalb County Illinois
June 2, 1917, the DeKalb County Soil Improvement
Association was separated into two organizations. One was
to become DeKalb County Farm Bureau and the other
was incorporated as the DeKalb County Agricultural
Association to become engaged in the commercial seed
business.
The DeKalb County Agricultural Association’s first business
transaction was to purchase legume seed, limestone, and to
handle seed corn. In those days, seed corn was open
pollinated and varied in quality from one year to the next.
One of Mr. Eckhardt's priorities was to develop a seed corn
that was of extremely high quality and increased yield and
could be sold to farmers in the area.
1917 DeKalb County Illinois
Mr. Charlie Gunn was hired as corn breeder by the DeKalb
County Agricultural Association. His main objective was to
improve a variety, Western Plowman to be more adapted to
Northern Illinois.
Mr. Thomas H. Roberts Sr. was elected secretary/treasurer
of the DeKalb County Agricultural Association.
1918 – 1924: Results from the
First Double Cross
Mr. Jones’ crosses, which was the first double cross, from the
1917 crosses of the Leaming hybrid crossed to the Burr White
hybrid were planted, came up strong and looked nearly as
uniform as the parental crosses.
The real test was the yield at harvest. The double cross yielded
116 Bu/Acre which beat all single crosses in test. It yielded 20%
more than the highest yielding variety. Mr. Jones repeated the
study for 5 more consecutive years. At the end of the study the
double cross had averaged 83 Bu/Acre, 20% more than the
highest yielding variety.
New possibilities for modern corn production were born.
Early 1920’s - Henry C. Wallace meets with
Tom Roberts and Charlie Gunn
1924 DEKALB Observation Entries
1925 Discretion in Research
DEKALB ALUMNI NEWS – JULY 2007
First DEKALB
Nursery
1925
1925 Pollinating Supplies for DEKALB
1925 Notes on Plot Husbandry
1928 DEKALB
Crossing
Inventory
1929 DEKALB
Corn Field
Map
Successful Breeding Relies on Good Notes
Detailed
Notes
Pay
Off
1927 – 1930 Mr. Gunn’s Initial Charge
First
Parental Increase
1931
Hybrid Yield Trial
Results Before
Computers
1933 DEKALB Hybrid Corn Demonstration
Mr. Gunn’s Career
During Mr. Gunn’s 35 year career with DEKALB, he or his research
staff developed and released over 300 hybrids.
The first hybrid, marketed in 1934 as 3A, later became DeKalb 203
after a hybrid nomenclature system was adopted.
The most notable hybrid he developed was DeKalb 404A.
Upon retirement he actively continued special projects. Developing
prolificacy (multiple ears) was of extreme interest to him and
thought to be a way to directly increase yields.
His work and successes were acknowledged by his colleagues in
Academia, Government and competitive companies.
From Project
Leader
To
Team
Leader
DeKalb 404A
In 1939, DeKalb 404A, a 102 RM double-cross hybrid developed by
Charlie Gunn at DeKalb, Illinois, is first grown commercially. It
yields well with long ears and harvest early. DeKalb 404A is the
most outstanding hybrid of the first great decade of hybrid corn. It is
grown from northern Nebraska across Iowa and southern
Minnesota, and east through north-central Ohio and southern
Michigan. It introduces higher yields for shorter growing seasons,
moving the U.S. Corn Belt 200 miles north. It is the first popular
and most popular proprietary double-cross hybrid. In its fourth year,
it sells more than 300,000 bags, which it does seven times in its 25year period. DeKalb 404A annual sales exceed 500,000 bags in
1946 and 1948.
Total sales were 5.5 million bags.
1943 DEKALB/Mr. Gunn WWII Effort
Mr. Charlie Gunn
Photographs
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS
Mr. Gunn’s Legacy for DEKALB
A Humble Beginning to a Global Industry
AND THE PROGRESS CONTINUES
US Corn Yields 1866-2009
180
Transgenic
Single cross
160
140
b=2.66
120
Single
cross
Bu/A
100
80
60
40
Open pollinated
b=1.72
Double
cross
b=1.04
20
b=0.01
0
1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
YEAR
Resource Material
•Crabb, Richard A., 1947. The Hybrid-Corn Makers. Rutgers
University Press. 331pps.
•http://www.anbhf.org/laureates/troberts.html
•http://www.dekalbalumni.org/history/Invironments_DAA_Art
icle.pdf
•http://www.fundinguniverse.com/companyhistories/DeKalb-Genetics-Corporation-CompanyHistory.html
•http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/crops_02.
html
•Troyer, A. Forrest. 2004. Background of U.S. Hybrid Corn
II: Breeding, Climate, and Food. Crop Sci. 44:370-380.