Wisconsin Ag Connection - UW-Madison Researchers Develop New Organic Sweet Corn Variety

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UW-Madison Researchers Develop New Organic Sweet Corn Variety
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 12/12/2014

A new organic open-pollinated sweet corns variety has been developed through a plant-breeding project led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Organic Seed Alliance. It's called 'Who Gets Kissed?' in honor of a game played at corn husking bees of old, when communities gathered to husk corn and dance.

"Our approach to plant breeding is what sets Who Gets Kissed? apart from other sweet corn varieties in the marketplace," says OSA Director Micaela Colley. "Who Gets Kissed? was not only bred under organic farming conditions, but organic farmers were equal partners in the breeding effort."

UW-Madison graduate student Adrienne Shelton, who worked on the project, says since the variety is open-pollinated, growers are encouraged to save and select seed from their harvests to adapt the variety to their own local conditions and market needs.

The new variety is available for purchase through High Mowing Organic Seeds. This project was funded in part by the Organic Farming Research Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative.

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