~ Much About Corn ~

Corn
Corn: a versatile crop
Popcorn, cornflakes, cornstarch, tortillas, cooking oil, corn syrup, corn on the cob, corn
in the can – all these products, and more, are derived from a single, very versatile plant –
maize. It is an important human food and a source of industrial raw materials. But
its main use, accounting for almost two-thirds of total production world-wide, is feeding
animals.
Maize is a grass that was first domesticated in Mexico more than 8000 years ago, and
is now the world’s third most planted crop after wheat and rice. Its two names – maize
and corn – are both derived from ancient names for the plant.
The largest grower is the United States, which produced 241 million metric tons in
2001, followed by China at 115 million metric tons and Brazil at 41 million metric tons.
While between them, these three countries account for two-thirds of total world
production, other significant producers in 2001 were Mexico at 16 million tons, France
at 15 million tons, Argentina at 15 million tons, Italy at 10 million tons and Canada
at 8 million tons.
One of the reasons there are so many uses for corn is that there are many different types,
which generate different levels of starch, sugar and water in their seeds. Popcorn, for
example, has a relatively high moisture content, while sweet corn is grown as a vegetable
because of its high sugar content. There are also many varieties of what is termed “field”
corn, grown for livestock feed, food processing and industrial uses.
Depending on the variety and the conditions under which it is grown, a corn plant
can take from 60 to 330 days to reach maturity, when it can be from 0.5 meters to 5
meters high. Because of its economic importance, corn has been extensively and
intensively bred to produce high-yielding hybrids that are resistant to disease, pests and
environmental stresses, suited to differing climatic conditions, and easy to harvest.


Even with the advantages of modern hybrids, growers face a range of challenges in
maintaining production levels and, at the same time, conserving soil fertility and
structure, and protecting the environment. Yields can be reduced by weather damage,
by weeds and by a huge number of pests, including insects, nematode worms, and a
wide range of bacteria and fungi.
A number of insects prey on corn but one of the most damaging is the corn borer, so
called because the larvae of this moth tunnel into the plant, eating it as they go. It
is estimated that each year 40 million tons of corn never reach the market because of
damage by the corn borer – equivalent to the entire production of Brazil. Damage
and control costs in North America alone exceed US$1 billion per annum; a single
outbreak in Minnesota in 1995 cost US$285 million.
Chemical insecticides and biological control methods are available to control outbreaks
of corn borer, but the nature of the infestation makes it difficult and expensive to
deal with.

Adapted from BTcorn