Maize (Corn)

Maize - zea mays

(Grain maize, silage maize)

Maize originates from Mexico, but has become the most important cereal worldwide and is the primary staple food in many countries. The USA, China and Brazil have the biggest shares in worldwide maize production. In Germany, maize cultivation has boosted remarkably since the 1950ies to some 1.9 million hectares, which is mainly due to the development of climatically adapted hybrid varieties.

Continuous Improvement

The continuous improvement of hybrid variety breeding with respect to lodging susceptibility, resistance and maturation has turned maize into an interesting crop for cultivation in Germany. In the past 40 years, yields have increased from an average of 40 dt/ha to 90 dt/ha for grain maize, and from 330 dt/ha to 430 dt/ha fresh matter yield in the case of silage maize. Today, biotechnological methods and genetic engineering have enabled new resistance in maize against pests as e.g. the European corn borer. By now, there is such a great number of maize varieties available in Germany that the farmers can choose varieties adapted to the most diverse regions and soils and usages. The variety catalogue published by the Deutsches Maiskomitee listed approximately 280 maize varieties in 2008, seven of which are genetically modified. To these are added numerous EU varieties that have been tested in Germany.The continuous improvement of hybrid variety breeding with respect to lodging susceptibility, resistance and maturation has turned maize into an interesting crop for cultivation in Germany. In the past 40 years, yields have increased from an average of 40 dt/ha to 90 dt/ha for grain maize, and from 330 dt/ha to 430 dt/ha fresh matter yield in the case of silage maize. Today, biotechnological methods and genetic engineering have enabled new resistance in maize against pests as e.g. the European corn borer. By now, there is such a great number of maize varieties available in Germany that the farmers can choose varieties adapted to the most diverse regions and soils and usages. The variety catalogue published by the Deutsches Maiskomitee listed approximately 280 maize varieties in 2008, seven of which are genetically modified. To these are added numerous EU varieties that have been tested in Germany.

Depending on the used parts of the plant, three types of usage can be distinguished:

Silage maize: The entire plant is hacked and preserved as silage. Grain maize: The grains are harvested and dried. Corn-cob-mix: The ears are harvested, grinded and ensiled.

Approximately three quarters of the maize cultivated in Germany are used as livestock feed. Maize from one hectare of land is sufficient to feed 30 pigs or 6 cattle, to produce 15,000 litres of milk or 60,000 eggs. The grain maize cultivated for the food industry is processed as more or less coarsely ground cornmeal or corn flakes. Maize also gains in importance as renewable resource, since maize starch is used by the industry as raw material for the production of paper, glues, compostable sheets and packaging materials. A new utilization for maize is to use it as energy plant for the production of biogas and electricity.

Leveraging on New Approaches

Plant breeding has not yet come to the limits of the usable genetic potential. In addition, biotechnological methods as e.g. molecular markers or genetic engineering help to achieve important breeding objectives much more quickly, e.g. resistance or stress tolerance traits. The findings of genomic research offer new ways of understanding genes and their interaction with the environment.Plant breeding has not yet come to the limits of the usable genetic potential. In addition, biotechnological methods as e.g. molecular markers or genetic engineering help to achieve important breeding objectives much more quickly, e.g. resistance or stress tolerance traits. The findings of genomic research offer new ways of understanding genes and their interaction with the environment.

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