Timeline by Megan Linick

First Domestication (7000 BCE)

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 13:34:25 UTC

Corn was first domesticated in Mexico. The easiest type of corn to harvest were domesticated. This kind of corn was big kernels and easy to husk ears.

Breeding (1500-1800s)

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 13:35:04 UTC

Selective breeding was originally done by the Native Americans. This type of domestication was used in order to insure food security. The types of corn that were bread were suited for the climate and needs of each individual community. They were able to do this through only replanting the desired corn outcomes.

Experimentation (1800s)

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 13:35:32 UTC

In order to breed the corn that is wanted scientists created something called hybridization. This technique means that there would be multiple desired traits in one crop of corn. They could combine traits like easy to husk and disease resistant into one plant.

First Transgenic Corn (1990s)

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 13:36:11 UTC

This is the first genetically modified corn. Scientists were able to insert genes which allow the corn to become resistant to certain weeds. This was a new version of pest control within the crops.

Insect Resistant (1990s)

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 13:36:38 UTC

Similar to Transgenic corn genes from bacteria were introduced to the corn. These genes allowed the plant to produce certain chemicals that would repel insects or even be harmful to them.

Combining Traits (2000s)

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 13:37:32 UTC

Companies that produce corn have started to use the technique of stacking traits. They stack traits together in order to have the maximum efficiency in their production.

RNA Technology (2010)

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 13:53:05 UTC

RNA technology is able to silence specific genes in the corn or activate other genes. This can create natural nutritional benefits. Scientists can use this technology in order to create the exact plant that they want in terms of traits.

CRISPR (2020s)

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 13:56:09 UTC

CRISPR is a gene editing technology which allows for very targeted gene editing. These modifications happen within the genome and are typically to advance traits rather than eliminate traits. This can create resistance to weather events and pests.

Future 10 to 20 years

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 15:45:51 UTC

Genetic editing in relation to climate change. As the world around us rapidly changes in order to insure food security we need to make sure that there crops that can sustain unusual weather patterns such as freezes in April or heat waves in December.

Future 50 years in the future

meganlinick24 — 2024-04-22 15:46:04 UTC

Finding ways to have more nutrition with less foods. Our population is rapidly growing in order to have continued food security we will need to find ways to have food that can sustain that population size. In theory if a food has more nutrition than you would not need to eat as much to sustain yourself.