George Shull, the father of hybrid corn and agricultural innovation

The Father of Hybrid Corn

Today newspapers announced the retirement of the "father of hybrid corn," George Shull.
An Ohio farm kid, George was a noted botanist who taught at Princeton University for 27 years.
George's work resulted in a one hundred and fifty million-dollar increase in the value of US corn as a result of his crossing pure line varieties with self-fertilized corn. George's uber-productive hybrid yielded ten to forty percent more than ordinary corn.
Like many plant breeders, George never made a penny from his creation.
 


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George Shull
George Shull

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