Recently, this program has intensified to look at several aspects of herbicide and weed management. Reduced rate technology, split applications, herbicide combinations as well as herbicide-resistant crops are all under evaluation. The effects of insecticide compounds on corn and alfalfa are analyzed at the branch. Newly released Bt corn hybrids and commercially available insecticides are evaluated by entomologists to reduce insect damage. In addition, alfalfa varieties with potato leafhopper resistance are tested.
Preliminary results are quite promising.
Extensive efforts are given to productivity and profitability of the pork industry. The primary focus is centered on the genetic improvement of swine. Yorkshires and Large Whites are used to evaluate differences in these two breeds for sow productivity. Hampshire boars are also used to measure maternal traits in crosses with Yorkshires and Large Whites. Microsatellite markers are used for detecting genotypic differences identifying the genes that contribute to economically important traits.