We are the corn breeding and genetics project of the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, part of the USDA Plant Science Research Unit. We are located in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC.
Our primary research objectives are:
1. Characterize the genes and genetic architecture underlying important agricultural traits in maize (corn)
2. Develop new breeding lines with improved traits resulting from adaptation and introgression of underutilized genetic resources, including tropical maize and temperate and tropical landraces
3. Improve resistance to Fusarium ear rot in corn
4. Develop new specialty food corn varieties, including improved heirloom food corns and low protein grain corns for patients with metabolic disorders.
5. Data processing and analysis codes currently are housed here: https://github.com/ncsumaize/