Farmers Investing in their Future

The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) and Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council (MCR&PC) are committed to funding independent corn research that seeks to enhance opportunities for Minnesota corn farmers by improving agricultural practices and creating new markets for what they produce.

Minnesota corn check-off dollars, self-funded by corn farmers themselves, are funding a wide range of research projects that directly affect local business and families, including the development of value-added products, the management of corn inputs, issues related to ethanol use, the evaluation of genetic traits, and the relationship between agricultural management practices and water quality.

Precision irrigation and nitrogen management for enhancing water-nitrogen use efficiency (Year 2)

This study will evaluate the impact of variable rate irrigation (VRI) and variable rate N (VRN) management in comparison to conventional uniform rate irrigation (URI) and uniform rate N (URN) management.

Read More >
Is fixed ammonium an important part of nitrogen cycling? (Year 2)

This project will assess how corn responds to nitrogen at various levels of potassium fertilization.

Read More >
Ethanol fuel cells (Year 2)

The initial task of the project consists of a detailed review of state of the art in hydrogen production from ethanol and assessing its potential for demonstration at the pre-commercial scale.

Read More >
Mitigating cold and warm season nitrogen losses from corn systems (Year 2)

Assess whether winter rye cover cropping and enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) can effectively reduce reactive N losses during the spring freeze-thaw period while maintaining high corn yields

Read More >
Nutrient management dynamics in Northwest Minnesota corn production (Year 2)

This project will address the combined effects of fertilizer source and rate on nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon dynamics from multiple perspectives: corn grain production, soil nutrient availability, and water quality.

Read More >
Genetic and environmental factors contributing to instability in grain durability (Year 2)

Here we propose a multifaceted approach to address grain quality challenges that are faced by Minnesota Corn Growers.

Read More >
Climate smart agriculture (Year 2)

This project will provide research-based education and outreach to help Minnesota’s corn growers and the agricultural sector respond to a changing climate and build resilient farming operations and a sustained agricultural economy.

Read More >
Sustainable polyesters from corn as tomorrow’s plastics (Year 5)

Through their investment in the Minnesota corn check-off, farmers support the University of Minnesota’s Center for Sustainable Polymers (CSP) in their mission to develop the next generation of bioplastics made from renewable sources.

Read More >
Dialing in the Most Corn-Profitable and Environmentally Responsible Nitrogen Rate (Year 3)

The study will use the common approach to calculate EONRs by establishing several nitrogen rates from zero to well above where a corn response is expected.

Read More >
Evaluating conservation practice effectiveness with a paired watershed approach (Year 5)

The research is designed to evaluate the performance of conservation practices to reduce nitrate-nitrogen (N) loads from corn-soybean agriculture at a small-watershed scale under real world conditions.

Read More >
Hyper-thermostable enzyme (Lactonases) for use as microbial biocontrol agents for plant diseases (Year 6)

Many bacterial pathogens infect crop plants, representing major economic burdens. This also limits our ability to feed the world’s populations. Current methods for controlling plant diseases due to bacterial infection have had limited success, in part due to bacterial resistance and specificity.

Read More >
Nitrogen Smart seminars

Nitrogen Smart is entering its sixth year of bringing the nitrogen fundamentals to farmers across the state. In-person seminars and an online course focus on the sources of nitrogen for crops, how to manage nitrogen in drainage systems, an update on regulations and how they impact farmers, and practices to refine nitrogen management.

Read More >
Carbon smart programming

UMN Extension sees a need to provide farmers and their advisors a better science-based understanding of soil carbon.

Read More >
Weanling pigs fed diets containing high-protein corn co-products

This project will test the hypothesis that corn protein may be used as the primary source of amino acids in diets for weanling pigs if diets are fortified with crystalline amino acids.

Read More >
Technoeconomic analysis of carbon dioxide-to-fuel in corn ethanol plants

This research seeks to set the groundwork for large-scale projects to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from corn ethanol plants and convert it to renewable fuels using solar or wind energy.

Read More >
Stay Connected and Subscribe to Leader Update Now

2024 Primary Research and Innovation Grant RFPs

For more info on application criteria, timelines, and to apply online: Click here

Research Publications

Please reach out to our Research Director Maciej Kazula (mkazula@mncorn.org) for additional information.

Additional Completed Projects »

Check Out the Minnesota Corn Podcast

Introducing Minnesota Corn's 2023 research portfolio

Minnesota Corn Research Director Maciej Kazula introduces the 30 research projects the organization has allocated funding to in 2023.

Listen Now

Designing a filter to treat agricultural surface runoff

Minnesota State University Assistant Professor Nazli Wodzinski recaps her Innovation Grant project that aimed to create a practical, field applicable drainage filter.

Listen Now

How a nitrogen-fixing bacteria affects corn production

University of Minnesota Associate Professor Paulo Pagliari explains his research into the nitrogen-fixing bacteria Azospirillum brasilense. In 2022, he studied how inoculating corn plants with the bacteria impacted their growth and productivity.

Listen Now

Subscribe to the Minnesota Corn Podcasts Today!

Subscribe