Corn classification, corn type classification

Corn can be divided into different types according to different properties, so today I will introduce them to you:

By color

1. Yellow corn: The seed coat is yellow, including yellow corn with a slight red tint. The US standard stipulates that the content of other colors of corn in yellow corn shall not exceed 5.0%.

2. White corn: The seed coat is white, including corn with a slight yellowish or pink tint. The U.S. standard describes yellowish as light straw color, and stipulates that the content of other colors of corn in white corn shall not exceed 2.0%.

3. Black corn: Black corn is a special type of corn. The cuticle of its grains has melanin deposited to varying degrees, making it appear black and shiny.

4. Glutinous corn: corn rich in stickiness.

5. Mixed corn: corn that contains more than 5.0% of corn outside this category among the above three categories of corn. The Chinese national standard defines it as corn that contains more than 5.0% of corn outside this category. The US standard states that the color does not meet the color requirements of yellow corn or white corn, and contains white-topped yellow corn.

By quality

1. Conventional corn: The most common and widely grown corn.

2. Special corn: refers to various types of corn other than conventional corn. Traditional special corns include sweet corn, glutinous corn and popcorn. Recently developed special corns include high-quality protein corn (high-lysine corn), high-oil corn and high-amylose corn. Because special corns have higher technical content and greater economic value than ordinary corn, they are called "high-value corn" abroad.

3. Sweet corn: usually divided into ordinary sweet corn, enhanced sweet corn and super sweet corn. Sweet corn has strict requirements on production technology and harvest period, and has a short shelf life. Various types of sweet corn bred in China can basically meet market demand.

4. Waxy corn: Its production technology is much simpler than sweet corn, and it has almost no special requirements compared to ordinary corn. Its harvest period is more flexible, its shelf life is longer, and it does not require special storage and processing conditions. In addition to being eaten fresh, glutinous corn is also an important raw material for the starch processing industry. China's glutinous corn breeding and production are developing very rapidly.

5. High-oil corn: It has a high oil content, especially 80% of unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid and oleic acid, which can reduce serum cholesterol and soften blood vessels. In addition, high-oil corn has 10-12% more protein and 20% more lysine than ordinary corn, and also has a higher vitamin content. It is a multifunctional corn that can be used as food, feed, and oil.

6. High-quality protein corn (high-lysine corn): The yield is no lower than that of ordinary corn, and the lysine content of the whole grain is 80-100% higher than that of ordinary corn. In some areas of China, the combination of high yield and high quality has been achieved.

7. Purple corn: It is a very rare variety of corn, and is known as "black pearls" because its kernels are shaped like pearls. Although purple corn has excellent and unique quality, it has small cobs and few kernels, and the yield per mu is only about 50 kilograms.

8. Other special-purpose corn and improved corn varieties, including high-starch special corn, silage corn, edible corn hybrids, etc.