Corn Research in Michigan, Florida & California

Corn research is available at our Michigan, Florida, and California locations. Each station focuses on the unique agricultural challenges and opportunities in their respective regions.

Michigan
Our Michigan Ag Research facility operates extensive field corn trials across the Great Lakes region. The research covers plant pathology, entomology, nematology, fertility, and weed science.

Florida
Florida Ag Research conducts field corn research, as well as off-season winter breeding for Midwest corn. Our Florida Ag Research facility includes offices, laboratories, and greenhouses, supporting a wide range of agricultural research activities.

California
Our Pacific Ag Research stations operates in several areas of California. Our corn research is available in Central California near Fresno, with additional research farms near San Luis Obispo, Salinas, and Santa Maria.

Each research location focuses on plant diseases, insect pests, crop nutrition, environmental studies, and new crop genetics. Our facilities are equipped with advanced technology for analyzing foliar disease, root biomass metrics, and aerial measurements. Additionally, our research includes studies on soil-borne diseases of corn and GMO-tolerant Corn Root Worm populations. Ag Metrics Group facilities contribute significantly to the understanding and advancement of corn production, region-specific challenges and leveraging local conditions for optimal crop performance.

Trials mentioned here are often run in the field. If the trial must be run outside of the normal growing season, if there are regulatory concerns, or if limited test materials are available, most trials can be run in a greenhouse setting.

Common Pathology Test Systems
Michigan:
Fusarium, Gray Leaf Spot, Northern Corn Leaf Blight, Rhizoctonia, Pythium Root Rot, Tar Spot, Ear Rots
Florida:
Anthracnose (Colletotrichum graminicola), Southern Corn Rust (Puccinia polysora), Common Rust of Maize (Puccinia sorghi)
California:
Seed Rots/Damping Off, Fusarium Ear & Stalk Rot

Common Arthropod Species
Michigan:
Corn Root Worm, Fall Armyworm, European Corn Borer, Western Bean Cutworm, Black Cutworm, Corn Earworm, Wireworm
Florida:
Corn Earworm
California:
Corn Earworm, Webspinning Spider Mites, Seedcorn Maggot, Wireworm

Nematode Studies
Michigan:
Root Lesion, Northern Root Knot
Florida:
Sting Nematode, Pratylenchus spp. (Lesion Nematode)

Agronomy Studies
Ag Metrics Group conducts extensive agronomy research on corn across its three regional centers.

Variety Testing: We evaluate different varieties for performance, yield, and quality.
Fertilizer Application: We study optimal fertilizer administration for corn, focusing on improving yield and quality.
Soil Amendments: Research is conducted on various soil amendments to enhance soil health and productivity, particularly in sandy soil.
Nitrogen Management: Given the importance of nitrogen for growth, we study nitrogen application methods and timing.
Water Stress Response: In California's Central Valley, our research trials investigate abiotic stress, which is crucial for drought-prone regions.
Nematode: Nematicide research is crucial in managing plant-parasitic nematodes that can significantly reduce corn yields. Most of our recent research evaluates the efficacy of various nematicides and their economic viability for corn growers.

The company's 40 years of experience as a Contract Research Organization and its presence in multiple U.S. climate zones provide a robust foundation for conducting comprehensive and regionally-specific field and sweet corn crops.