Yield Gains in Major U.S. Field Crops

When humankind began to save seed to plant for the next season, they did so hoping to secure a food supply for the future. With that came the inevitable question: Will it be enough? Scientists today are still asking that question. Our dependence on domesticated cultivated varieties has never been greater, even as increasing populations strain our resource base. This book provides a fascinating snapshot-in-time account of the productivity status of all major U.S. field crops. Each crop has a different story to tell. Plant breeding, biotechnology, and agronomy have shaped these stories. It is imperative that we learn from them to ensure continued productivity. The solution is long-term stewardship and the most effective use of our critical resources—water, soil, genetic resources, and human intellect.

Foreword | vii Preface | ix Contributors | xi Chapter 1 | 1 Barley Tom Blake, Victoria Blake, and Jochim Wiersma Chapter 2 | 13 Cotton B. Todd Campbell, Debbie Boykin, Zaid Abdo, and William R. Meredith, Jr. Chapter 3 | 33 Cool-Season Forages E. Charles Brummer and Michael D. Casler Chapter 4 | 53 Lettuce and Spinach Ivan Simko, Ryan J. Hayes, Beiquan Mou, and James D. McCreight Chapter 5 | 87 Edible Grain Legumes George J. Vandemark, Mark A. Brick, Juan M. Osorno, James D. Kelly, and Carlos A. Urrea Chapter 6 | 125 Maize Stephen Smith, Mark Cooper, Joseph Gogerty, Carlos Löffler, Delos Borcherding, and Kevin Wright Chapter 7 | 173 Peanut C. Corley Holbrook, Tim B. Brenneman, H. Thomas Stalker, W. Carroll Johnson III, Peggy Ozias-Akins, Ye Chu, George Vellidis, and Duncan McClusky Chapter 8 | 195 Potato Shelley H. Jansky, David M. Spooner, and Paul C. Bethke Chapter 9 | 219 Rangeland and Warm-Season Forage Grasses Kevin B. Jensen and William F. Anderson Chapter 10 | 267 Rice K.S. McKenzie, X. Sha, K.A.K. Moldenhauer, S.D. Linscombe, N.B. Lyman, and L.L. Nalley Chapter 11 | 293 Sorghum Roger Monk, Cleve Franks, and Jeff Dahlberg Chapter 12 | 311 Soybean J.E. Specht, B.W. Diers, R.L. Nelson, J.F.F. de Toledo, J.A. Torrion, and P. Grassini Chapter 13 | 357 Sugarbeet Lee Panella, Stephen K. Kaffka, Robert T. Lewellen, J. Mitchell McGrath, Mike S. Metzger, and Carl A. Strausbaugh Chapter 14 |397 Sugarcane Serge J. Edmé, Andru Suman, and Collins Kimbeng Chapter 15 | 433 Sunflower Brent S. Hulke and Larry W. Kleingartner Chapter 16 | 459 Wheat Robert Graybosch, Harold E. Bockelman, Kimberly A. Garland-Campbell, David F. Garvin, and Teshome Regassa