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- Rivlin says bipartisan budget action, stronger budget rules key to reversing debt
- Stink bugs shouldn't pose problem until late summer
- Gao to honor Placido Domingo in Washington performance
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- W.D. Snodgrass Symposium to honor Pulitzer winner
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- UD in the News, March 25, 2011
- For the Record, March 25, 2011
- Public opinion expert discusses world views of U.S. in Global Agenda series
- Congressional delegation, dean laud Center for Community Research and Service program
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- Markell, Harker stress importance of agriculture to Delaware's economy
- Carol A. Ammon MBA Case Competition winners announced
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- Stay connected with Sea Grant, CEOE e-newsletter
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- March 31-May 14: REP stages Neil Simon's 'The Good Doctor'
- April 2: Newark plans annual 'wine and dine'
- April 5: Expert perspective on U.S. health care
- April 5: Comedian Ace Guillen to visit Scrounge
- April 6, May 4: School of Nursing sponsors research lecture series
- April 6-May 4: Confucius Institute presents Chinese Film Series on Wednesdays
- April 6: IPCC's Pachauri to discuss sustainable development in DENIN Dialogue Series
- April 7: 'WVUDstock' radiothon concert announced
- April 8: English Language Institute presents 'Arts in Translation'
- April 9: Green and Healthy Living Expo planned at The Bob
- April 9: Center for Political Communication to host Onion editor
- April 10: Alumni Easter Egg-stravaganza planned
- April 11: CDS session to focus on visual assistive technologies
- April 12: T.J. Stiles to speak at UDLA annual dinner
- April 15, 16: Annual UD push lawnmower tune-up scheduled
- April 15, 16: Master Players series presents iMusic 4, China Magpie
- April 15, 16: Delaware Symphony, UD chorus to perform Mahler work
- April 18: Former NFL Coach Bill Cowher featured in UD Speaks
- April 21-24: Sesame Street Live brings Elmo and friends to The Bob
- April 30: Save the date for Ag Day 2011 at UD
- April 30: Symposium to consider 'Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface'
- April 30-May 1: Relay for Life set at Delaware Field House
- May 4: Delaware Membrane Protein Symposium announced
- May 5: Northwestern University's Leon Keer to deliver Kerr lecture
- May 7: Women's volleyball team to host second annual Spring Fling
- Through May 3: SPPA announces speakers for 10th annual lecture series
- Through May 4: Global Agenda sees U.S. through others' eyes; World Bank president to speak
- Through May 4: 'Research on Race, Ethnicity, Culture' topic of series
- Through May 9: Black American Studies announces lecture series
- Through May 11: 'Challenges in Jewish Culture' lecture series announced
- Through May 11: Area Studies research featured in speaker series
- Through June 5: 'Andy Warhol: Behind the Camera' on view in Old College Gallery
- Through July 15: 'Bodyscapes' on view at Mechanical Hall Gallery
- More What's Happening >>
- UD calendar >>
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- April 19: Procurement Services schedules information sessions
- UD Bookstore announces spring break hours
- HealthyU Wellness Program encourages employees to 'Step into Spring'
- April 8-29: Faculty roundtable series considers student engagement
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- April 30: UD Evening with Blue Rocks set for employees
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- More Campus FYI >>
2:38 p.m., Feb. 11, 2009----The University of Delaware announced today that it has reached a commercial agreement with DuPont regarding their multi-year, corn disease resistance research collaboration. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
DuPont seed business, Pioneer Hi-Bred, now is marketing Pioneer® brand hybrid 34F26, the first corn hybrid in North America to carry the trait, which provides enhanced resistance to anthracnose stalk rot. Additional hybrids carrying the trait are being evaluated for 2010.
“We're thrilled to see the discoveries of University of Delaware (UD) scientists being put to work for farmers through our collaboration with DuPont,” said Patrick Harker, University of Delaware president.
James A. Hawk, UD professor of plant and soil sciences, became familiar in the 1980s with a gene in corn known to provide resistance to the fungus Colletotrichum graminicola, which causes the often devastating disease anthracnose stalk rot (ASR). At the time the gene was found only in a “tropical” corn line from Mississippi, which could not be used commercially.
Hawk worked for more than 20 years to demonstrate that the gene could be bred into commercial germplasm and developed “near-isogenic lines” that facilitated the genetic characterization of ASR resistance. He and his associates then teamed up with DuPont scientists and cutting-edge technology was used to “fine map” the gene and develop molecular markers under a Collaborative Research Agreement between DuPont and the University. DuPont scientists are using those markers in high throughput genetic technology to move the gene into a wide variety of elite commercial germplasm. Intellectual property protection is pending on the discoveries of the collaboration and the corn lines developed by Hawk.
“Bringing additional disease resistance to our customers is part of our overall strategy to increase their productivity,” said Paul E. Schickler, president -- Pioneer and vice president and general manager -- DuPont.
The increased incidence of anthracnose stalk rot is thought to be associated with increased use of no-till agricultural practices that are utilized to reduce soil erosion and fuel costs. Higher risk of the disease also is associated with corn planted in fields that had corn the previous year because the pathogen over-winters in corn residue. Yield losses due to the disease, estimated to be about $1billion annually in North America are the result of reduced ear size, premature plant death and stalk breakage of the plant below the ear, all of which decrease harvestable yield.
Anthracnose stalk rot typically rots corn stalks from the bottom, causing the stalks to break over or ears to fall off completely, making harvest much more difficult. The disease also can kill the plant from the top down, a trait called top dieback, which results in premature plant death and reduced yields.
The technology developed by UD and DuPont adds to the arsenal of tools farmers can use to combat this disease and protect corn yields. A portion of the royalties to the University from sales of the ASR resistant hybrid will be reinvested in support of continuing research at UD.
® Registered trademark of Pioneer Hi-Bred.
About the University of Delaware
Tracing its heritage back to 1743, the University of Delaware is a state-assisted, privately controlled institution of higher education with an enrollment of more than 16,000 undergraduates, 3,500 graduate students and 1,000 professional and continuing students. UD offers degrees in a broad range of disciplines across seven colleges, and is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant and urban-grant institution.
Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson