Monday, February 22, 1999
Help from above boosts corn crop
Satellites could hike yields by 10%, study says
BY RICHELLE THOMPSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Agricultural experts are looking to the sky for more than rain and sunshine to increase the amount of sweet corn on Ohio's tables this summer. Satellites could be the next tool to raise the crop yields of the state's typically fickle sweet corn.
“You can no longer just scratch the seed in, drop it and hope for the best,” said Mark Bennett, associate professor in horticulture and crop science at Ohio State University.
To appeal to the sweet tooth of consumers, scientists have manipulated the genetics of sweet corn since the 1970s to delay when the vegetable's sugar turns to starch.
“It's not like you're eating candy bars, but it's a much sweeter taste,” Mr. Bennett said. “It's easier to get kids to eat corn than broccoli or brussels sprouts.”
But problems exist with the sweeter varieties: They're not as hardy as field corn or such old standbys as Silver Queen, and the sugar tends to attract insects and diseases.
To solve those shortcomings, Ohio State experts spent two years studying how satellites could improve the yield of sweet corn growers. Their study, completed in 1997, found farmers using the high-tech methods could grow as much as 10 percent more corn per acre by turning to satellites.
The researchers tested the soil, then sent the information through a backpack unit to the satellites, which pinpointed the locations. When sowing the field, farmers relied on the detailed maps to determine how deep to plant the sweet corn seeds for the right amount of water.
The process requires more research and is years away from widespread commercial use, Mr. Bennett said. Private businesses and public agencies are weighing the benefits of precision farming with the cost and its time-consuming nature.
Still, global positioning sys tems already are used in other areas of farming, and some companies such as John Deere are working to develop seed planters that can adjust the soil depth to find the best conditions, Mr. Bennett said.
After 10 years of growing the sugar-enhanced sweet corn on 20 acres in Lebanon, Don Spaeth has plenty of tips on how to get the best yield — some of which he'd rather not share.
But “if they come up with something better, I'll go to it,” Mr. Spaeth said. “That's what I always do.”
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