By Michael Deliberto, Fannin, J. Matthew "Matt"
LSU AgCenter
The LSU AgCenter plays a critical role in the breeding and development of new rice, sugarcane, sweet potato, wheat and oat varieties. Seven out of every 10 fields of sugarcane and rice in Louisiana are cultivated with AgCenter-developed varieties. For sweet potatoes, that figure jumps to more than nine out of 10. Although commercialized breeding programs dominate variety development for corn, cotton and soybeans, AgCenter researchers and specialists test these varieties extensively for their suitability to grow in Louisiana.