Scientists recovering lost abilities of corn

An interesting article from the Agrarian Sharing Network:      Corny news from TwitterAg...While industrial agriculture spent billions breeding corn varieties that require MORE fertilizer a little-known plant geneticist has done the opposite. Dr. Walter Goldstein breeds corn varieties that literally feed themselves. Here’s how his discoveries can reshape modern ag.
In studying corn genetics, Goldstein made a revelatory discovery – Modern corn had in large part lost its ability to partner with soil microbes.
But through careful breeding, he could bring this ancient ability back. Goldstein developed corn varieties that could effectively form relationships with nitrogen fixing bacteria - an extreme anomaly for non-legume plants. Some of these varieties get nearly half their nitrogen requirements this way.
But nitrogen fixing was just the beginning. Goldstein's corn varieties developed:
- Deeper root systems
- Better nutrient acquisition abilities
- Natural pest resistance
- Higher nutrient density
- Yields on par with conventional varieties
All without chemical inputs.
Instead of lab based breeding, Goldstein utilizes participatory breeding. He works directly with farmers to select traits that perform in real world conditions. Target traits are: nitrogen efficiency, root architecture, nutrient density, soil microbe partnerships.
The implications of Goldstein’s work are nothing short of revolutionary.
If corn can feed itself through bacterial partnerships, our entire approach to agriculture might be based on a fundamental misunderstanding of plant nutrition.
https://mandaamin.org/about-mandaamin/

John S
PDX OR

This is some of the best news I have heard all year, no exaggeration.

I am so glad you put this up and I am so glad I checked Permies just now. This is the kind of revolutionary change I can get behind, and probably everyone else can too. Wow wow wow--what great news to end the year with!

I was really glad when I saw it on another site.   I have been avoiding eating or growing corn, but if it works out, corn could be better to eat and better to grow, IMHO.
John S
PDX OR

I watch/listen to loooots of vids, so I may be confusing something here but I think Joseph Lofthouse recently mentioned something about microlife and nitrogen nodules on some corn roots he was growing?? Who knows, he might have been reffering to someone he knew?

This makes me think of Hopi corn which is grown in rather extreme conditions with minimal to no input based on todays ag standards...of course lots of spiritual and personal input goes into it though. A fella named Ahkima has some videos on youtube where if you search enuf can hear and watch him go thru the entire process from seed to lush green plants in essentially desert soil.

Good to see some actual scientific results from educated people because even if I or other peasant/hippy/permie types don't require such well documented scholarly convictions to see the value in old ways and old varieties, the rest of the world does in order to take things seriously!

Yes I got several serious warnings about security from that site.

I did look up the scientist and got this:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Walter-Goldstein

and also this, which also seems to be a secure site:

https://madagriculture.org/journal/a-journey-through-the-corn-maize-with-walter-goldstein

I want to know more about it, but I don't want to get SPAM or viruses in my computer.

JohN S
PDX OR

Sounds a lot like "Landrace Gardening" to me.

https://permies.com/wiki/162247/Landrace-Gardening-Joseph-Lofthouse

I think that landrace gardening lets nature select the best genes for that plant in that place based on what does best there and what keeps growing successfully in that place.  

I think in this corn circumstance, they are carefully selecting which genes are likely to revive the apparent former ability of corn to fix nitrogen from the air and form partnerships with bacteria.  

Nature selecting versus scientists selecting.

John S
PDX OR

Experimental farm network is looking for a FEW volunteers to help grow out a grex of this type of corns. Here is their link for that information.

I can't seem to find who was selling varieties of this type of nitrogen fixing corn last year, they sold out early though. Nor can I find where I read about it. The air roots are what facilitates this action. It seems that mechanical farming selected against this trait. The airoots are hard and are slow to decompose making working the feild hard on equipment for the next planting.

There is a mountain region in Mexico where this type of corn is still grown. Yay for isolated mountains!

I wrote about nitrogen fixing corn in my book, Landrace Gardening. I used to grow similar varieties. The trick seems to be to select for what I was calling air-roots, which fell into disfavor during industrialization of corn.

Since then, I visited Rutgers University, and scientists let me look into a microscope and see nitrogen-fixing bacteria living inside the root and leaf hairs of the Profoundly Promiscuous and Totally Tasty Tomatoes. What?!? Tomatoes making their own fertilizer? Yup.

Because I haven't fertilized my garden, or used any chemicals in 15 years, I didn't harm the microbes, and my tomatoes and microbes figured out how to take care of each other.

Excellent information, Joseph.  I have used the concept of land race gardening with some of my vegetables. Over time, they just become more acclimated to my soil and climate conditions.  But I have never taken out a microscope and specifically bred for a particular quality.  I just let nature do that.  

JohN S
PDX OR