USDA RESEARCHERS CREATE HIGHLY AFLATOXIN-RESISTANT CORN 
                                           Release No. 0110.99 

                     Media Contact: Andy Solomon (202) 720-4623
                                          andy.solomon@usda.gov
                       Public Contact: Jim Henry (301) 504-1611
                                           jhenry@ars-grin.gov 

USDA RESEARCHERS CREATE HIGHLY AFLATOXIN-RESISTANT CORN 

  WASHINGTON,  March 18, 1999 Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced
today a new corn line developed by USDA scientists that outshines all previous
corn lines in its ability to naturally fend off  aflatoxin, a fungal toxin
that poses a threat to humans and livestock.  The corn line has been released
to seed companies and public research institutions for breeding purposes.  

  "USDA research provides real world solutions for America's farmers to
ensure their viability and profitability," said Glickman in remarks to the
leadership of the National Corn Growers Association. "Investment in
agriculture research is even more critical today so our  farmers can maintain
their competitive edge in the global marketplace."  

  Contamination of corn grain by aflatoxin, made by certain fungi, can be
a food and feed safety problem.  In 1998, record high temperatures and drought
caused aflatoxin levels in corn to soar in parts of the South. Growers' losses
have been estimated at $85 to $100 million in Texas, Louisiana and
Mississippi.
  
  This new corn line from scientists at USDA's Agricultural Research
Service could be an important step toward the long-term goal of commercial
hybrids with strong aflatoxin resistance.
Currently, commercial hybrid corn with aflatoxin resistance is not available
to farmers.

  The new corn line, named Mp715, has lower levels of infection with the
fungus and subsequent contamination with aflatoxin.  It will take several
years before hybrids conventionally bred using Mp715 could be available.

  "Corn hybrids that resist both the fungus and its toxin are widely
considered the most efficient and reliable way to reduce the accumulation of
aflatoxin in corn grain," said ARS geneticist W. Paul Williams who helped
create this new corn line.  
 
  Williams and his colleagues, plant pathologist Gary L. Windham and
geneticist Georgia L. Davis, are working to identify the genes for reduced
fungal infection and toxin accumulation in the lines they have now.

                                
  Several major commercial seed companies have incorporated into their
corn breeding programs the toxin-resistant germplasm released earlier by ARS.
To expedite the transfer of resistance to commercial hybrids, ARS recently
entered into cooperative research and development agreements with two
companies to evaluate hybrids from their breeding programs this summer. ARS
scientists will evaluate 75 to 100 hybrids for resistance to aflatoxin
accumulation.  

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NOTE TO EDITOR: Contact for details W. Paul Williams, research leader, Corn
Host Plant Resistance Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA,
Mississippi State, Miss., phone (601) 325-2735, fax (601) 325-8441,
pwilliams@dorman.msstate.edu.