Method for differentiating sweet and waxy corn

China has a vast area, and the ecological conditions vary greatly in different planting areas, and the growth period of maize is also relatively large. In southern China, it mainly includes two corn planting areas in the hills of the south and hilly hills in the southwest. among them:

The southern hilly corn area includes Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Taiwan and other provinces (municipalities), and the south of Jiangsu and Anhui, Guangxi, Hunan, and Hubei. It is the main area for sweet and Waxy Corn planting in China.

Southwest hilly corn areas include Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Chongqing, and the western hilly regions of southern Shaanxi, Guangxi, Hunan, and Hubei, and a small part of southeastern Gansu Province. The climate, topography, and ecological conditions in the area are complex, accounting for more than 90%. The land is hilly and plateau, and the valley plain and mountain plains only account for 5%. The planting patterns are complex and varied. Sweet and waxy corn are planted in spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Sweet Corn

Sweet corn commonly known as sweet corn, endosperm traits and ordinary corn are different, with sweet, fragrant, crisp, tender characteristics, there are "Fruit Corn", "vegetable corn," said, according to the genotype and endosperm properties can be divided For ordinary sweet corn, super sweet corn, enhanced sweet corn three types. Sweet corn contains more sugar and water in its endosperm, and its fresh ear grains generally have sugar content of 14%-25%, which is significantly higher than that of normal corn. Lysine content is more than two times that of ordinary corn, and protein, fat and The content of other amino acids is also higher than that of ordinary corn. It also contains various vitamins, mineral elements, and linoleic acid and nutrient fiber. It has good health care functions and people promote it as a healthy food. Sweet corn can be used for canning, quick freezing, and listing of green corn. At present, China's sweet corn production and exports also have a certain scale, especially in the southeast coastal provinces have a larger planted area.

Most of the sweet corn grain endosperm is keratinous starch, and the grains shrink and become translucent after drying. The seed has low dry matter content, poor arching ability, low emergence rate, and weak seedlings. Plants are prone to tillering and many pods, male flowers are developed, there are many branches, pollen volume is large, but the resistance to the environment is poor, and in the environment of high (low) temperature and low illumination, the phenomenon of poor solidity and long baldness is easy to occur. .

Compared with ordinary corn, most of the sweet corn varieties have a shorter growth period and are precocious or very precocious. Due to the special growth and development characteristics of sweet corn and the commodity requirements for harvesting of fresh spikes, the requirements for the cultivation environment and management level are high.

Waxy corn

Waxy corn, also known as waxy corn or sticky corn, was bred from gene mutations in common maize. Domestic and foreign scholars generally believe that waxy corn originated in China. Waxy corn grain endosperm is composed of amylopectin and is easier to digest than ordinary corn. The digestibility of waxy corn is about 85%, and that of ordinary corn is about 69%. The unique flavor and rich grain color of waxy corn are even more attractive. Favored. Waxy corn, in addition to fresh food, can also be used to process specialty foods, as industrial raw materials and feed.

Compared with normal corn, the general Glutinous Corn varieties had lower 1000-grain weight, so the seedlings were weaker; the process of leaf emergence and leaf differentiation of ear differentiation was the same as that of ordinary corn. It takes only 70-100 days for the general varieties of waxy corn to emerge from the emergence and fresh harvest. The sowing date and harvesting period can be adjusted according to the characteristics of the varieties and the commodity needs. If necessary, protective cultivation and harvesting of dry grains can also be carried out.