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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #274170
Title: Grain and biomass nutrient uptake of conventional corn and their genetically modified isolines

Author
item Osborne, Shannon
item Lehman, R - Michael
item ROSENTRATER, KURT - Iowa State University

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/13/2015
Publication Date: 6/17/2016
Citation: Osborne, S.L., Lehman, R.M., Rosentrater, K.A. 2016. Grain and biomass nutrient uptake of conventional corn and their genetically modified isolines. Journal of Plant Nutrition. doi: 10.1080/01904167.2016.1187753.

Interpretive Summary: The rapid and widespread use of genetically engineered crops in the US can be attributed largely to the perceived economic advantage over conventional crops under insect and weed infestation. Little is known regarding the potential differences in agronomic characteristics and protein expression between genetically engineered plants and the impact on soil and crop productivity and our ecosystem. Research was conducted during 2005, 2006 and 2007 to determine the agronomic characteristics of 18 different commonly used corn hybrids including three conventional hybrids (non-genetically modified) and their corresponding transgenic modifications independent of glyphosate use and significant insect pressure. Results found that without significant insect and weed infestation there was no difference in grain yield, or agove ground corn biomass. The limited differences observed in plant nutrient concentration between hybrids in this experiment were not considered agronomically important, and could possibly be attributed to natural genetic variability among the genotypes tested, rather than the presence or absence of any particular trait. This study could serve as a baseline for comparison with future data from similar experiments conducted under various levels of insect or weed pressures, or following glyphosate applications.

Technical Abstract: The adoption of genetically engineered crops in the United States has increased dramatically over the past decade. Differences in agronomic characteristics and protein expression between genetically engineered plants and their naturally recombinant non-GM counterparts are not well-understood. Experimental field plots were established in the spring of 2005 near Brookings, SD with 18 different commonly used corn hybrids including three conventional hybrids and their corresponding transgenic modifications. Specific research objectives were to evaluate in a side by side comparison, the impact of the genetic modifications on agronomic characteristics including, grain yield, grain nutrient composition, plant biomass and stalk nutrient composition independent of glyphosate use. Results show that glyphosate or insect resistance resulting from genetic modification, in the absence of significant insect pest or weed pressure and glyphosate application, were not likely to significantly alter productivity or nutrient composition of corn residue or grain. No significant differences were observed among the hybrids in average grain yield or above-ground biomass over the three years of the experiment. Occasional differences observed in plant nutrient concentration between hybrids in this experiment were not agronomically important, and could possibly be attributed to natural genetic variability among the genotypes tested, rather than the presence of any particular trait.