MAIZE GENETICS
By: Gerrold Austin, Chemberli
McClenton, Ife Diallo, & Shonn
McCloud
History of Maize
Maize (Corn) is the most important
cereal in the world after wheat and
rice.
Corn is the most widely distributed
crop in the world.
The U.S produces half of the
world’s total corn.
History of Maize Cont.
Scientific Name: Zea mays
Common Name: corn, Maize
Family:Poaceae (grass)
Origin: Unknown
Some think that corn originated in
Peru, Bolivia,Ecuador,Mexico, and
Central America.
Structure of Corn
 The corn plant has a single stalk at the
top of the plant, which is called the
tassel. The tassel is the male flower.
 The female flowers are found on the ear
of the corn plant, which arises at a leaf
axil halfway up the stem.
Structure of Corn Cont.
 The flower organs, and later the grain
kernels, are enclosed in layers of papery
tissue called husks.
 Strands of silk emerge from the ears and
husks at the same time the pollen is
dispensed from the tassel
Varieties of Corn
 Dent corn
Flint corn
 Flour corn
 Waxy corn
 Sweet corn
 Popcorn
 There are also many many more types
of corn.
Maize Economics
Agricultural Value
•
•
•
•
$20 billion/yr
80 million acres/yr in US
9.5 billion bushels produced
2.5 gallons ethanol/bushel of corn
• Corn Products
Sweet corn & vegetable corn
Corn starch, food and industrial
Corn sweeteners, fructose, syrup
Pop corn
Corn meal - chips & tortillas
Feed for animals
(NCGA, US figures, 2001)
The Maize Plant
Self or Cross Pollinating
200-300 siblings per ear
WC Galinat
Mission Rd field
FSU Biology Dept
Habitat
Maize is a gigantic domesticated
grass of tropical origin. The plant is
used to produce grain and fodder
that are the basis of a number of
foods, feed, pharmaceutical and
industrial manufactures
THIS IS THE END OF
OUR MAIZE
GENETICS
PRESENTATION
Thank You for your cooperation
Credits
We would like to give credit to…
Dr. Kome Onokpise
Dr. Dreamal Worthern
Chalonda Jasper
Jillian Blair
Earl Hankerson
Dr. Hank Bass
Mr. Ted Willis
The F.A.C.E. program
The Quincy Farm
FAMU & FSU