Corn kernels have different colors because of genes that control color. Each kernel is an individual with its own set of genes, like an embryo. Kernels are siblings housed on the same ear and so naturally have many different colors. By naturally, I mean, through the course of natural selection. One-color ears are unnatural products of human selection.
Livestock feeders prefer vitamin-rich yellow kernels, Southerners like white kernels, and Native Americans favor blue. Years of deliberate selection, careful pollination, and storing of seeds produced these single-color corn ears.
Livestock feeders prefer vitamin-rich yellow kernels, Southerners like white kernels, and Native Americans favor blue. Years of deliberate selection, careful pollination, and storing of seeds produced these single-color corn ears.
5 comments:
you just blew my mind this morning! I need more coffee.
Beautiful corn!
Very interesting information =)
That was very interesting. I love corn. Funny enough I live in the south and I fit the corn stereotype of loving white sweet corn.
Ah. very interesting. Have you read "Earth Abides"? He describes the effects of man's intervention into animal and vegetable evolution after the human race is gone. It's quite interesting.
Silver Queen corn is the best--and yep, I live in the south. Spent 20 years in New Mexico and never devloped a taste for blue corn anything.
Green chile was another matter, though. I'm hopelessly addicted.
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