MAIZE GENETICS

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MAIZE GENETICS

• By Gerrold Austin, Chemberli McClenton, Ife
  Diallo, Shonn McCloud

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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 worlds total corn.

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History of Maize Cont.

• Scientific Name Zea mays
• Common Name corn, Maize
• FamilyPoaceae (grass)
• Origin Unknown
• Some think that corn originated in Peru,
  Bolivia,Ecuador,Mexico, and Central America.

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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.

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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

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Varieties of Corn

• Dent corn
• Flint corn
• Flour corn
• Waxy corn
• Sweet corn
• Popcorn
• There are also many many more types of corn.

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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)

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The Maize Plant
Self or Cross Pollinating 200-300 siblings per ear
Mission Rd field FSU Biology Dept
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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

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THIS IS THE END OF OUR MAIZE GENETICS PRESENTATION

• Thank You for your cooperation

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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