Corn Breeding (Classic Reprint)

Learn how corn breeders use crosses and selection to boost yields.

The book surveys the history and practice of corn breeding, weighing methods from mass selection to crossing varieties. It explains how hybrids can produce larger yields in the first generation and why maintaining pure parent stocks matters. Grounded in early 20th‑century research and agricultural trials, this edition clarifies practical approaches for farmers and breeders alike.

• How mass selection and ear-to-row methods compare for improving yield


• Why hybrid vigor shows up in first-generation crosses and how to use it


• Ways to maintain hybrid seed and manage parent varieties


• When varietal hybrids are most effective and how crosses between varieties work

Ideal for readers of agricultural science, plant breeding, and those interested in practical corn improvement.