Germplasm. It’s not as radioactive as it sounds, and you don’t need top-secret clearance to see it.

In fact, ISU germplasm scientists are inviting the public to a field day this afternoon to exhibit their research.

From 1 to 5 p.m. at a farm southwest of Ames, members of the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) project will display the latest results of their corn-breeding experiments.

Germplasm is the material at the heart of a corn kernel that contains the genetic information for the plant’s growth.

“It’s the building blocks for modern-day corn hybrids,” said Tim Johnson, GEM data manager.

Johnson said germplasm is unique for each of the world’s cornfields because the individual growing conditions in each field affect the corn’s development in various ways.

“Anywhere there’s a valley where people have grown corn, it’s been selected for that particular area, and it will have specific differences,” he said.

The GEM project collects germplasm from growers worldwide and recombines the material to make new breeding lines of corn.

To non-farmers, this may not seem important.

But Johnson said these new breeding lines increase the gene pool and make corn less susceptible to disease and pest resistance.

“With a broader germplasm base, we’ll have more material to work with, and maybe the problems will be less,” he said.

The desired result, of course, is more corn per acre.

“If you can get pest resistance and disease resistance, that’s good,” he said.

“But the bottom line is yield,” Johnson said.

“A plant can sing and dance, but if it doesn’t yield, it’s not going anywhere,” he said.

The field day is located on the Uthe research farm.

To get there, go six miles south of Ames on R38 (South Dakota Avenue), turn right on 290th Street and go 3 1/2 miles west.