Corn is a gift from the gods. Origin of corn and its botanical characteristics (3

Corn is an amazing plant. If in our country it is not used very actively - most often as a rare delicacy, then in many others it has become a symbol of prosperity, salvation from hunger. Moreover, this applies not only to poor countries - for example, in many US states it is as common a side dish as pasta or buckwheat in our country. And the origin of corn is a very interesting topic that will be useful to explore. After all, this plant has traveled a lot around the world during its long history.

Description of appearance

Before talking about the history of the origin of corn, let's briefly describe its appearance.

This is an annual herbaceous plant with tall - sometimes up to four meters - stems. The root system is very powerful. Its development depends on environmental conditions. If there is enough moisture, the roots are mainly located at a shallow depth. But if the soil is depleted and there is not enough moisture, the corn may well bury its roots by a meter and a half.

The leaves are quite large - long, but narrow. The maximum length reaches one meter, while the width rarely exceeds ten centimeters. The number also varies greatly - from 8 to 42.

The fruits are cobs - large, tightly wrapped in leaves. On their upper part there is a so-called stigma - several soft matted plant fibers. One cob can consist of a thousand grains, but usually their number is much less. The weight in some cases reaches half a kilogram.

Where did she first appear?

To date, it has been possible to fairly accurately determine the homeland of corn. It would be interesting for many of its fans to know about the origin of the culture. So, it is believed that they first learned about it in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. It was here that it was cultivated and began not only to be collected, but to be purposefully grown.

True, the corn of that time was very different from the one we are used to. Still, for many centuries, European breeders worked to improve the breed so that we could see luxurious cobs weighing several hundred grams. At that time, the cobs were much more modest - their length rarely exceeded four to five centimeters.

Corn was domesticated about nine thousand years ago! A very serious period - very few plants can boast of such an impressive history. Quite quickly its grains gained popularity. Corn was grown easily and without special care, while providing the owners with nutritious, satisfying grains.

It is not surprising that quite quickly it gained popularity not only among the Indian tribes living in Mexico. If the North American Indians rarely engaged in agriculture - only a few tribes out of many dozens took the trouble to grow corn themselves, rather than collect wild plants - then in South America this crop became one of the most important.

Aztecs, Mayans, Olmecs - these South American Indian tribes were actively engaged in agriculture, sowing large areas with valuable crops that guaranteed prosperity and protection from hunger. Not only could corn grow in a climate difficult for other plants, its grains could also be stored for many years without losing their nutritional properties. In conditions where bad weather and crop failure were possible, this guaranteed the survival of ordinary peasants. It is no coincidence that even a separate god, Shilonen, was singled out as the patron of corn. This alone shows how seriously the South American Indians took this valuable grain crop. Of course, various legends and myths were composed telling about the mysteries of the origin of corn.

There are even several varieties that differ in terms of ripening. For example, the early one, bearing fruit already two months after the first shoots appeared, was called “cock song”. Another variety that matured in three months was called "girl corn." Finally, the latest ripening variety, which ripened for six to seven months, was nicknamed “old woman corn.”

Thanks to its good productivity and unpretentiousness, the plant has become widespread, settling quite far from its place of origin. Corn is now grown not only in its homeland, but also in Europe and the post-Soviet space.

How did she get to Europe?

Now the reader knows how this valuable culture spread across the two continents of America. It's time to talk briefly about the history of the origin of corn in Europe. More precisely, about the history of its development and cultivation.

By the way, it is worth noting that in South America this familiar crop is called maize. And in many European countries this name, somewhat unusual for our compatriots, was adopted. However, we will return to this issue a little later.

Corn (maize) first came to Europe in 1496. It was brought by Christopher Columbus himself, who saw an unusual, but obviously very valuable plant and decided to study it more carefully.

Quite quickly, local farmers appreciated the merits of the new crop. Corn began to be actively grown in Spain, Portugal, and France. To the north, it did not become particularly widespread - the harsh climate did not allow the corn of that time to ripen. Much later, thanks to the efforts of breeders, it was possible to develop varieties resistant to low temperatures. Of course, it did not become such a popular crop as wheat and rye in Europe. However, the fact that today corn is the third most popular cereal in the world speaks volumes!

Corn in our country

What do Russian residents know about the origin of corn? ? Many will probably remember General Secretary of the USSR Khrushchev and his calls to actively cultivate the “queen of the fields” in all collective farms of the country. However, one should not think that it was at this time that the culture came to Russia. This happened much earlier. More specifically, in our country they learned about corn at the end of the eighteenth century. At the same time, the name familiar to our ears arose. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Russia, as you know, regularly fought with Turkey and also regularly won victories. Take the eighteenth century for example - four wars took place in just one century. According to the results of the penultimate of them, which lasted from 1768 to 1774, Russia received Crimea as an indemnity. Turkish peasants actively grew corn here - the climate was favorable. The culture turned out to be very promising and interested many specialists.

Now about the name. In Turkey, maize was called kokoroz - “tall plant”. Not too familiar to the Slavic ear, this term was slightly changed - to the well-known “corn”. First, this name stuck in the Balkans - in Serbia, Bulgaria and other countries occupied by Turkey. From here it came to our country.

The culture never became widespread in Russia. Yes, it is grown in the southern regions and even in the central ones. However, in the north the climate turned out to be too unpredictable, so these lands remained the patrimony of more familiar crops - rye, oats, wheat.

And in general, popcorn, which is loved and almost idolized in many countries around the world, has not really taken root in our country. Boiled corn is usually eaten only in season, while canned corn is more often used in salads.

Useful qualities

We figured out the origin of corn. The plant has a lot of useful properties that are worth talking about.

Let's start with the fact that its grains contain a number of important microelements and vitamins. First of all, these are vitamins C, D, B, K, as well as PP. Microelements include nickel, copper, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.

Scientists have proven that a person who regularly consumes corn significantly reduces the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. After all, the body receives not only useful microelements, but also fiber and dietary fiber. Therefore, the rate of metabolic processes in the body increases, which has a beneficial effect on the immune system and human health in general.

It is also believed that eating corn by older people can improve vision. However, you need to be careful in choosing the right variety. Indeed, today various varieties are actively grown, each of which has a specific function and, accordingly, a specific composition. If you want to improve or simply preserve your vision, it is very important to choose an ear that has delicate yellow grains that have reached milky-waxy ripeness. Overripe and white (usually forage varieties) do not contain the necessary vitamins, so they will not bring any benefit.

Corn oil can also provide significant benefits. It is extracted from the germ of corn kernels.

Raw oil is used for the prevention of atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes and many other serious diseases. Take it little by little - three times a day immediately before meals in the amount of 25 grams per session. Thanks to this, the level of sugar and cholesterol in the blood decreases, overall health improves, and sleep becomes deeper and more sound.

So it’s worth recognizing: this is a truly valuable crop, the correct use of which allows you to get rid of many diseases or at least alleviate their progression, which is not always possible even with the use of powerful and expensive drugs.

Possible harm

Now the reader knows more about the origin of corn. Culture, alas, has not only beneficial properties, but also negative ones, which are very important to know about. Otherwise, you can provoke an exacerbation of some chronic diseases. So corn will only bring harm instead of the expected benefit.

Let's start with the fact that the lion's share of corn grown today is genetically modified. Perhaps its regular consumption does not have any unpleasant consequences, but the issue has not been fully studied. It is no coincidence that many scientists are sounding the alarm about this, blaming GMOs for the sharp increase in the incidence of diseases such as obesity, allergies and others.

But even ordinary corn can cause serious harm to human health. For example, it should not be consumed by people suffering from diseases affecting the duodenum and stomach. Its use leads to bloating, and this negatively affects the patient’s health.

Also, people who have problems with thrombophlebitis and increased blood clotting should avoid using it. Substances that make up corn grains may well affect this process, causing an exacerbation.

People suffering from excessively low body weight should also refrain from eating corn. It reduces appetite, which is why it is often used in various diets. But at the same time, corn oil should not be consumed by people suffering from obesity - after all, it is quite high in calories and can lead to more rapid weight gain.

Finally, a simple allergy to corn and its components is a contraindication.

Use in cooking

Today, this crop is popular all over the world, including very far from the country of origin of corn. It is not surprising - it is used in various spheres of human life.

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is regular eating. Indeed, this plant is quite tasty and, as we have already found out, healthy. Many salads include canned corn. And few people will refuse to simply enjoy cobs with sweet, tender milk grains.

In the US, boiled or baked cobs are often served as a side dish. In many Latin American countries, corn bread and tortillas are still very popular - wheat and rye are not so common there. In addition, corn became the basis for many national dishes, for example Romanian mamaliga - corn porridge. Well, corn flakes and sticks have long become a favorite treat for many children.

Other uses

However, not all corn grown is used only for food. Take, for example, the USA: it is this country that grows the most of this crop. No more than 1% of corn is used for food.

Another 85% is used as feed in livestock farming. It is not surprising - grains make it possible to perfectly fatten animals and birds, helping them gain weight before slaughter. In addition, stems and leaves are used - the best silage is made from them, which is a good feed for farm animals in the cold season. By the way, the lion's share of corn grown in Russia is also used for silage.

And the rest of the corn grown in the United States is used for industrial purposes. It is distilled into technical alcohol, which can be used as high-quality fuel.

Corn silks are used in medicine - they have diuretic and choleretic properties.

And even this is not limited to the scope of corn. For example, in Transcarpathia, exquisite napkins, hats, and women's handbags are made from leaves. And in Vietnam, carpets woven from corn by local craftswomen are still popular.

The stems are also used as building material in poor regions of the Earth. And the ash from burnt stems is a highly effective fertilizer.

So it is not surprising that the ancient Indians explained the origin of corn on Earth by the intervention of the gods - it is difficult to find a sphere of human activity where this plant would not be involved.

Corn cultivation

In our country, corn is usually sown in early to mid-May, when the threat of night frosts has completely passed. If the goal is precisely to obtain grain, and not silage, then the planting pattern is approximately 60 x 70 or 70 x 70 centimeters. Otherwise, stronger shoots will crush weak neighbors. The optimal sowing depth is 5-10 centimeters.

The ripening period varies significantly - primarily depending on the variety. But most varieties are harvested 60-80 days after sowing.

An important advantage is ease of maintenance. In fact, the main requirement for corn is a sufficient amount of light and heat - it does not tolerate frost well. Which is understandable, given the origin of corn - the birthplace of the crop, as already mentioned, is sunny Mexico. But it is very resistant to drought thanks to its powerful root system, capable of lifting moisture from a depth of a meter or even more. Also, the root system allows it to grow and bear fruit well even on depleted soils. Although, of course, if cultivation takes place on fresh soil rich in nutrients, then the yield increases sharply - all the nutrients will go to the formation of leaves and fruits, and not to the development of the root system.

Conclusion

This concludes our article. Now you know the history of the origin of corn. This can be quite interesting for children and adults. And at the same time we learned about the areas of its application, beneficial and harmful properties.

There are several theories about how man appeared on the American continent. Who doesn’t know about the mysterious Atlantis now?! Some scientists believe that the first inhabitants of America came there from this disappeared continent. Others suggest that the migration took place through Antarctica. It is also possible that Indians are the indigenous people of America.

Thanks to recent discoveries, it was possible to trace the path of the first settlers from Asia to the lands of the ancient Incas. The pioneers of the wild continent reached Alaska and settled there. This apparently happened at the end of the Ice Age - about 10-25 thousand years ago. Brave travelers, having covered enormous distances, found themselves in a region where many of the now extinct animals and plants lived.

The ancient civilizations of Central and South America had a highly developed farming culture. The inhabitants of this land knew neither bronze nor iron. His main tool was a sharpened wooden stick. But the climate was favorable to farmers, and the ancient Mayan Indians harvested maize (corn) not once, as we are used to, but four times a year. The inhabitants of the mainland considered this plant a divine gift and glorified it in songs and legends. Just like farmers all over the world, they had their own god of fertility - Cinteotl, whom all Indian people worshiped. Every year in the capital of the Indians, Cuzco, in the Temple of the Sun, a ritual of sowing a sacred plant was solemnly performed. Grains of various varieties of this crop were discovered in ancient Mexican and Peruvian settlements. It turned out that the ancient farmers of America selected plants with large grains. But why? As it turned out, the Indians boiled corn grains and consumed it in the form of “millet” known to us. Until now, breeders have not been able to breed a plant with grains reaching the size of the grains of the museum variety of starchy corn Cusco.

The Indians used more than just grains. For example, they made a delicious soup from pollen, and used the stems to build huts.

In the famous poem “The Song of Hiawatha,” the American poet Henry Longfellow told one of the beautiful legends about the main culture of Indian farmers. The lines of this work are dedicated to a brave young man who overcame all obstacles in a difficult struggle and gave maize to his people (who were suffering from hunger). If the hero of the poem managed to overcome all difficulties, then modern farmers who grow golden cobs still have many serious problems.

The Food Program indicates the need to increase the potential yield of corn to 120-130 centners/ha on irrigated lands and to 80-90 centners on lands without irrigation, which will require breeders to create new high-yielding varieties and hybrids, and agricultural specialists to introduce advanced technology cultivation of crops. An important role in increasing corn yields is played by protecting crops from dangerous pathogens, which destroy about 10% of the world's crop. Rot of cobs and grains reduces not only the yield, but also the quality and feed value of the crop. Diseases of the stems make harvesting difficult, and damage to the leaves slows down the synthesis of carbohydrates and leads to the formation of immature, membranous ears. For example, the harmfulness of helminthosporiosis when all plant leaves are affected reaches 55%, and two-thirds of the foliage reaches 29%.

The main infectious diseases of corn can be classified as diseases of seedlings, leaves, rot of stems and ears, smut, rust and viral diseases. Some of them can be a huge nuisance in certain areas and less so in others, and many are dangerous regardless of climate zone. Crop losses from damage to the listed diseases, depending on the year, can reach 25%.

In addition to infectious diseases, the crop also suffers from chemical and mechanical damage, unfavorable climatic and soil conditions. Nutrient imbalances, excess water, and high or low temperatures can cause disease symptoms characteristic of plant pathogens and make it difficult to diagnose and treat the disease.

Many centuries have passed since America opened a valuable culture to the whole world. And how many useful things this plant accomplishes thanks to human efforts! Starch and vegetable oil, glucose and alcohol are obtained from corn grains. This plant is a valuable raw material for technical purposes and animal husbandry. Plastics and paper are made from some varieties, and the amylose extracted from the grains is used to produce film and photographic films and artificial fabrics.

The diversity of corn cobs allows us to distinguish several subspecies that differ from each other. Popping corn has small, glassy grains inside that are distinguished by their hardness. When heated, such grains form a loose soft mass, from which a delicious dish is prepared - corn flakes. Denting corn gets its name from its seeds, which resemble horse teeth and have indentations at the top. Soft starch is located in the upper part of the grain, and horn-like starch is located on the sides of the grain. This subspecies of Indian curiosity loves warmth and is cultivated in southern countries.

Flint corn is apparently the first of the subspecies discovered by Columbus, widespread in Central Europe and Asia, Central and South America. The grain on the cob is very hard on the outside and has a mealy endosperm on the inside. This plant is resistant to adverse environmental conditions.

Sweet corn is rich in protein and fats in addition to sugar. Once cooked, the cobs have good taste and are popular among residents of various countries.

Starchy corn is most often found in excavations of ancient Incan and Aztec burial sites. Cobs have seeds containing soft starch and very little protein. Therefore, it is used to obtain starch.

To obtain starch, waxy corn, which is named for the appearance of the grains, is also cultivated. This subspecies occupies small cultivated areas. An interesting type of corn for studying the origin of this crop is the filmy type of corn, which is practically not grown.

In our country, scientists from Krasnodar, Odessa breeders and researchers from the Research Institute of the Central Black Earth Belt named after V.V. Dokuchaev have achieved great success in creating high-yielding hybrids of dent corn. Hybrids such as Krasnodarsky-303TV and Orbita-M, Dokuchaevsky-4MV, and many others produce up to 70-80 centners of grain per 1 hectare, depending on weather conditions and the level of agricultural technology. Scientists and breeders are doing a lot of work to create corn with improved nutritional qualities: high protein content and an essential amino acid - lysine.

In Ancient Mexico, the gods of corn were revered no less than the gods of rain and war. And not in vain. Currently, this valuable crop from the homeland of the Indians is becoming increasingly important for humanity.

Corn - one of the oldest agricultural crops. There is no exact data on when this culture began to be used, but archaeological excavations in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia and other countries of Central and South America indicate that it was known already 4,500 years ago. Some researchers M.M. Kuleshov, P. Weatherwalks believe that this culture was known even earlier, so excavations near the modern center of Mexico City indicate that corn grew wild for another 60 thousand years. The oldest finds of corn in the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Puebla date back to 4250 and 2750 BC. Corn cobs in those days they were in the wild and did not exceed 3-4 cm in length. Scientists from the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and Temple University in Philadelphia have proven that corn (Zea mays L.) was domesticated about 8,700 years ago in central Balsas, Mexico, from the wild teosinte plant. Research by C. Darwin and M. M. Kuleshov says that a big role in the creation corn cocoa cultivated plant belongs to the ancient grain growers of Peru and Bolivia, where before the arrival of Europeans corn was the only grain crop. The local population (Inca, Maya and Aztecs) used corn in the form of underdeveloped cobs, cakes, fried and boiled grains. Given that fossilized corn cobs and pollen have been found in Central America, where its wild relatives are found ( teosinte And thripsacum ), almost all researchers consider Central America to be the birthplace of corn.

Corn first brought from America to Europe in 1494 by H. Columbus. After 16-20 years, corn was grown in Portugal, in 1533 it appeared in India, at the beginning of the 16th century. in China, Burma, India, in 1755 in Japan, at the end of the 16th century in Africa. Corn in Europe was first used as an exotic garden crop, but was soon recognized as a valuable food crop, which was characterized by higher productivity than other crops. The wide distribution of corn in Europe is due to the fact that H. Columbus brought early-ripening flint corn, which is well adapted to the conditions of most European countries, and late-ripening tooth-like forms appeared in the second half of the 19th century. At the end of the 17th century corn from Romania it was brought to Moldova, and from there to Ukraine and Russia. At first it was grown as a garden crop in the then Kherson, Tavria and Katerenoslav provinces. Field cultivation of corn in the territory of former Russia began in 1812. In 1896, the sown area of ​​corn was 1033.3 thousand hectares, and in 1908 1475.7 thousand hectares. In the modern world, the area of ​​corn occupies millions of hectares, and production is about 600 million tons. In the structure of crops area it ranks second after wheat.

Who is the ancestor of modern corn? This question interests many researchers, but no one can give an exact answer, there are only assumptions. The difficulty is that corn is not found in the wild now, and wild species from the cereal family - teosinte and trypsacum - are only similar. American scientist P. Weatherwalks believes that the wild ancestor of corn was a perennial plant with a slightly similar habit to thripsacum, which created the stem. Other researchers admit that modern corn is the result of long-term changes that occurred during cultivation and selection.

Currently, there are several theories of the origin of cultural corn:

1. The result of selection of one of the subspecies of Mexican wild corn Zea mays ssp.parviglumis.

2.This is the result of hybridization of small cultivated wild corn (a slightly modified form of wild corn) with another species of the genus - either Z. luxurias or Z. diploperennis.

3. One of the Mexican taxa corn was introduced several times.

4. Cultivated corn arose from the hybridization of Zea diploperennis with a representative of the closely related genus Tripsacum.

Most scientists support the first hypothesis, including J. Beadle, who confirmed it with experimental data in 1939.

There is no consensus among scientists about which corn is older: starchy, filmy, flinty, husked.

Theories of the origin of cultural corn may become more precise with the development of science, but we know for sure that during the growing period corn has become a highly cultivated crop that cannot exist without human help in the wild, since it has lost the ability to crumble and cannot remain on the soil surface for a long time without losing germination.

Corn is a type of annual herbaceous plant of the grass family. Corn is a crop of high productivity and versatile use. Corn grain contains 9-12% protein, 4-6% fat (up to 40% in the germ), 65-70% carbohydrates, and yellow grain varieties contain a lot of provitamin A.

Until the second half of the 1950s, corn in the structure of grain crops in the USSR barely reached 15%, and, for example, in North America it was more than 35%, in Australia and South America - over 30%. This structure was dictated by farming traditions and geographical conditions.

In 1956, the 1st Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Nikita Khrushchev put forward the slogan: “Catch up and overtake America!” It was about competition in the production of meat and dairy products. Instead of the grass-field crop rotation system, traditional for almost the entire USSR (except for Central Asia), the meeting recommended moving to rapid, widespread and widespread planting of corn.

In 1957-1959, the area under corn was increased by about a third - due to the sowing of industrial crops and forage grasses. At that time, this undertaking covered only the North Caucasus, Ukraine and Moldova.

While visiting the United States in September 1959, Khrushchev visited the fields of the famous farmer Rockwell Garst in Iowa. He grew hybrid corn, which gave a very high yield. Khrushchev called for taking advantage of the US “corn” experience.

The capital's mayor even developed a special technology for growing corn in the Serpukhov district of the Moscow region.

The essence of the technology proposed by Yuri Luzhkov is that corn is not sown directly into the ground, but first its grain is placed in so-called biocontainers, or macrocapsules, which consist of biocompost, peat and other nutrients. In such a protective shell, grain is not afraid of frost, which our climate is rich in, and germinates faster.

Biological features of sweet corn

Nutritional value of corn, use of corn in cooking and medicine, features of growing corn

Section 1. History of the origin of corn.

Section 2. The meaning and use of corn.

Sweet corn is annual herbaceous plant, the only cultivated representative of the genus Corn (Zea) of the family Cereals (Poaceae). In addition to cultivated maize, the genus Maize includes four species - Zea diploperennis, Zea perennis, Zea luxurians, Zea nicaraguensis - and three wild subspecies of Zea mays: ssp. parviglumis, ssp. mexicana and ssp. huehuetenangensis. Many of the named taxa are believed to have played a role in the selection of cultivated maize in ancient Mexico. There is an assumption that corn is the oldest grain plant in the world.

Sweet corn is divided into 9 botanical groups, differing in the structure and morphology of the grain: flint (Zea mays imdurata), dentate (Zea mays indentata), semi-dentate (Zea mays semidentata), popping (Zea mays everta), sugar (Zea mays saccharata), starchy or mealy (Zea mays amylacea), starchy-sugar (Zea mays amyleosaccharata), waxy (Zea mays ceratina) and filmy (Zea mays tunicata).

Corn is a tall annual herbaceous plant reaching a height of 3 m (in exceptional cases - up to 6 m or more). Corn has a well-developed fibrous root system, penetrating to a depth of 100-150 cm. Aerial support roots can form at the lower nodes of the stem, protecting the stem from falling and supplying the plant with water and nutrients.

The stem is erect, up to 7 cm in diameter, without a cavity inside (unlike most other cereals).

The leaves are large, linear-lanceolate, up to 10 cm wide and 1 m long. Their number ranges from 8 to 42.

The plants are monoecious with unisexual flowers: the male flowers are collected in large panicles on the tops of the shoots, the female ones - in the cobs located in the axils of the leaves. Each plant usually has 1-2 ears, rarely more. The length of the cob is from 4 to 50 cm, diameter from 2 to 10 cm, weight from 30 to 500 grams. The cobs are tightly surrounded by leaf-shaped involucres. At the top of such a wrapper, only a bunch of long pistillate columns emerge. The wind transfers pollen from male flowers to their stigmas, fertilization occurs, and large grain fruits develop on the cob.

The shape of corn kernels is very peculiar: they are not elongated, like those of wheat, rye and many other cultivated grains, but cubic or round, tightly pressed to each other and located on the cob in vertical rows. One cob can contain up to 1000 grains. The size, shape and color of the grains vary among different varieties; Usually the grains are yellow, but there is corn with reddish, purple, blue and even almost black grains.

The growing season lasts approximately 90-150 days. Corn sprouts 10-12 days after sowing. Corn is a heat-loving plant. The optimal temperature for growing it is 20-24 °C. In addition, corn needs good sunlight.

History of the origin of corn

The homeland of corn is Central and South America, where this crop has been cultivated since ancient times. Scientists suggest that this is the oldest grain plant on the planet. This is evidenced by the fact that during archaeological excavations in Peru, scientists found ears of corn dating back to the 5th millennium BC.

In the 1950s, in the Rio Grande Valley (Mexico), at a depth of 70 m, archaeologists discovered 750 ears of corn. These cobs were strikingly different from the cobs of modern varieties: small in size, small grains, the cobs themselves were covered with leaves only about 1/3. This find indicates an even earlier cultivation of corn; some scientists claim that this corn was grown about 10 thousand years ago .

In America, corn is called maize; This name was given by the ancient Mayans. It is known that the Mayans grew several varieties of maize, among which was the early-ripening maize variety "Rooster Song". This variety ripened within 2 months after germination. The “Maize Girl” variety ripened in 3 months. The Mayans also grew a late-ripening variety called “Old Maize,” which required 6-7 months to ripen.

Among the Indians, maize was elevated to the rank of a deity; they worshiped it as a sacred plant. Lush celebrations were held in honor of maize. This is evidenced by figurines of gods and goddesses with ears of corn in their hands, discovered during the study of ancient human sites, as well as drawings by the Aztecs and Mayans.

Maize was brought to Europe in 1496 by H. Columbus after his return from his second trip to the shores of America. In our country, maize is called corn. Why does the plant have such a name? After all, the Spaniards, Italians, Austrians, Germans, and English call it maize. The name of corn is of Turkish origin. In Turkey, this plant is called cocorose, i.e. tall plant. This Turkish name, in a slightly modified form, was established in Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary, which from the 14th century. until the 16th century were under the rule of the Ottoman Turks. In these countries, the plant itself is called corn; in Romania, only the cob is called corn.

The first acquaintance with corn of the peoples of Russia occurred during the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774, when Russia captured Crimea. At first, corn in Russia was called Turkish wheat. As a result of the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1806-1812. According to the Bucharest Peace Treaty, Bessarabia was returned to Russia, where corn was cultivated everywhere. From Bessarabia, corn spread to Ukraine.

Thanks to selection, southern corn has moved far north. Now corn is the third grain crop in the world. About 380 million tons of corn grain are harvested around the world every year.

In addition to its nutritional value, corn has other uses. It is a good forage crop; the best silage is made from corn. Corn stalks are used to make feed meal. The stems and leaves are used to make building panels. In the paper industry, it is used to make paper and cardboard.

Vietnamese craftswomen weave elegant carpets from corn cob wrappers. In 1980, Vietnamese carpets made from corn wrappers were awarded a gold medal at the Leipzig Fair. And craftsmen from Transcarpathia revived a forgotten folk craft - making openwork wicker handbags, hats, napkins, slippers, etc. from corn leaves.

Previously, in treeless areas, dried corn stalks served as fuel. After burning, the ash served as a good mineral fertilizer. Since the ash contained mainly potash, the population used it in the same way as a detergent for washing clothes.

Corn - grains, stems, leaves - is a good raw material for the chemical industry. In Brazil, most cars run on ethyl alcohol, replacing gasoline and diesel fuel. Brazilians obtain ethyl alcohol mainly from corn, 1 ton of which produces up to 180 liters of alcohol. According to experts, growing corn to fuel transport is more economically profitable than purchasing expensive oil abroad. Japanese chemists have created a water-soluble polymer called polluen from corn. First, glucose is obtained from corn, and plastic is obtained from it. This plastic, if subjected to special treatment, does not dissolve in water.

Corn is also used in medicine. Corn silk extract is prescribed to patients for the treatment of liver and kidney stones. Studies have shown that stigmas contain a significant amount of vitamin K. Doctors treat atherosclerosis with corn oil. The scientific name of corn, dzea, was given by Linnaeus and is derived from the Greek word dzao, which means to live.

Corn has been so cultivated by man that its agricultural form is no longer capable of self-sowing and going wild.

Corn was introduced into culture 7-12 thousand years ago in the territory of modern Mexico. The oldest finds of cultivated corn grains in the territory of the modern states of Oaxaca (Guila Nakitz cave) and Puebla (caves near the city of Tehuacán) date back to 4250 and 2750 BC, respectively. e. Interestingly, corn cobs in those days were about 10 times smaller than modern varieties, and did not exceed 3-4 cm in length.

An international team of scientists, led by archaeobotanist Dolores Piperno of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and anthropology professor Anthony Ranere of Temple University in Philadelphia, has discovered the first direct evidence that corn was domesticated about 8,700 years ago in the central valley. Balsas in Mexico, grown from the wild teosinte plant, is the earliest date for domesticated corn. Analysis of microfossils (starch grains and plant fossils) found on a rock windbreak called Xihuatoshtla, carried out with the participation of Irene Holst, provided direct evidence of the domestication of corn and plants of various species of the cucurbit family.

There are several theories about the origin of cultivated corn:

1. This is the result of selection of one of the subspecies of Mexican wild corn, Zea mays ssp. parviglumis; this taxon still grows in Mexico and Central America. Most likely, the culture originated in the Balsas River basin in the south of modern Mexico. It is possible that the ancestral forms of cultivated maize received up to 12% of the genetic material from another subspecies - Zea mays ssp. mexicana - due to introgressive hybridization.

2. It is the result of hybridization of small domesticated wild corn (that is, a slightly modified form of wild corn) with another species of the genus - either Zea luxurians or Zea diploperennis.

3. One taxa of Mexican wild corn was introduced into cultivation several times. Cultivated corn arose from the hybridization of Zea diploperennis with some representative of the closely related genus Tripsacum.

Most modern researchers accept the first hypothesis, proposed by Nobel laureate J. W. Beadle in 1939 and based, among other things, on experimental data.

While corn was cultivated in small areas in the Mexican highlands, it remained fairly uniform from a genetic point of view. However, from about the 15th century BC. e. The corn culture began to spread rapidly throughout Mesoamerica. New conditions required new varieties. This need became an incentive for intensive selection of corn, which was reflected in the explosive growth of its varietal diversity in the 12th-11th centuries BC. e.

The role of corn in American history cannot be overestimated. With a high degree of probability, it can be argued that almost all Mesoamerican civilizations - the Olmec culture, the Mayan civilization, the Aztec civilization, etc. - owe their appearance and flourishing primarily to the culture of corn, because it formed the basis of highly productive agriculture, without which it could not have arisen developed society. The special role of corn in the life of the ancient Mayans was well reflected in their religious system, one of the central gods of which was the corn god Quetzalcoatl/Kukulcan.

Meaning and Application of Corn

In 2006, the corn harvest in the United States turned out to be a record one - the third harvest in the entire history of the country was harvested. Despite this, the price of a bushel of grain on the Chicago Stock Exchange in early November was $3.44 compared to $1.8 in early September. The reason for the rise in price lies in the fact that corn is used to produce ethanol, the demand for which has increased significantly in recent years due to rising oil prices.

In 2008, China harvested a record corn harvest for the country of 166 million tons.

In Russia in 2010, 3,084 thousand tons of corn were produced. In Russia, sweet corn is grown in the Central Black Earth region, the Lower Volga region, the North Caucasus, and the south of the Far East.

Corn is the second most traded grain crop in the world (after wheat). World corn exports in 2009 amounted to about 100 million tons, of which 47.6% came from the United States, followed by Argentina (8.5%) and Brazil (7.7%). The largest importer in 2009 was Japan (17.0%), followed by South Korea (7.7%), Mexico (7.6%), China (4.9%) and Spain (4.2%).

Corn protein contains a number of amino acids that are essential for the human body.

9. Seeds of the "Fraise" variety

The culinary possibilities of corn are very great. Freshly harvested cobs are eaten boiled. They can be frozen for long-term storage. Canned corn grains are used to prepare salads, first and second courses. Coarsely ground corn flour is used to prepare porridges, and finely ground corn flour is used for making puddings, dumplings, pancakes and other baked goods. By adding corn flour to cakes and cookies, these products become more tasty and crumbly. Corn flakes are made from pre-flavored and crushed corn grains - a ready-made food product that does not require additional cooking. They are eaten as a side dish, and also as an independent dish along with juices, compotes, tea, coffee, milk and yogurt.

Corn became a characteristic product in Moldavian cuisine about 200 years ago. It was brought to Moldova in the 17th century and spread widely in the 18th, becoming primarily the everyday food of the poor. The famous Moldavian porridge mamaliga is prepared from corn in Moldova; it is widely used in soups and side dishes, it is boiled and baked, and confectionery products are made from corn flour.

In Argentinean cuisine, there are many dishes based on corn: locro - a soup made from corn and meat, humita - a dish made from corn and cottage cheese, tamales - a dish made from meat, corn and other vegetables, wrapped in corn leaves and then boiled.

Corn is widely used in American cuisine. Thanks to it, popcorn (or puffed corn) is known all over the world - corn kernels, torn from the inside by steam pressure when heated, and corn dog - a sausage covered with corn dough and deep-fried.

Many peoples of America, Europe, Asia and Africa have traditional recipes for preparing baked goods and confectionery products from corn flour: the peoples of Central America use corn flour flatbreads - tortillas - instead of bread, they also wrap various fillings in them and serve them as an independent dish ; in Western Georgia these are bread and flatbreads - mchadi, in Chechnya these are flatbreads and various pastries - siskal; among the Portuguese it is broa de milho bread; The Egyptians have a traditional cake made from corn flour, served with pineapples.

In Chinese palace cuisine, based on the traditions of the imperial kitchens of the last Qing dynasty (1644-1911), there is a dish made from corn flour - corn donuts. They appeared on the palace menu in 1900, when Beijing was occupied by the united army of eight states. Fleeing to the city of Xi'an, several thousand kilometers from the capital, Empress Cixi became so hungry that she ate cornmeal donuts prepared by one of the simple families of Northern China. She really liked the donuts, and, returning to Beijing, she ordered the court cook to prepare the same ones. However, the cook, fearing that ordinary donuts made from corn flour would be too rough food for the elderly Cixi, steamed tiny cakes from carefully ground corn flour and refined sugar, but in the same shape as ordinary donuts.

The ancient peoples of Mexico had a recipe for making chicha beer from fermented sprouted corn grains, which has survived to this day. Using fermentation, a drink was also prepared from the juice of the stems. Sugar was also obtained from the juice.

Corn stalks with silks (lat. Stili et Stigmata Maydis) are used in medicine under the name “corn hair”. They are harvested in the summer in the stage of milky ripeness of the cobs or in August - September when collecting corn cobs; they are plucked by hand, with a knife or sickle. The raw materials are dried in dryers at a temperature of 40 ° C or in air, in the shade, spread out in a layer of 1-2 cm. Due to the high hygroscopicity of the raw materials, it should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated area. Shelf life: 3 years. Corn silk contains ascorbic acid, vitamin K, fatty oil, traces of essential oil, bitter substances, saponins, resins, sitosterol, stigmasterol; have choleretic and diuretic properties. In folk medicine they are used for liver diseases. In scientific medicine in many countries, including Russia, liquid extract and infusion of corn silk are used for cholangitis, cholecystitis, hepatitis and cholelithiasis, as well as in case of insufficient bile secretion, and less often as a hemostatic agent. As a diuretic, infusion or decoction of corn silk is used for urolithiasis, inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary tract and prostatitis.

Corn germ contains 49-57% fatty oil (lat. Oleum Maydis). The oil is obtained by cold and hot pressing and pressing with extraction. Raw, unrefined corn oil is recommended as an auxiliary dietary aid for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, obesity, and diabetes.

The ancient peoples of Mexico used dried corn stalks to build huts and fences. Dry cob cores, as well as cob wrappers, were used as corks, and were also used to make a device - a grater for separating grains from cobs. In Colombia, balls were made from cob wrappers.

Corn stalks and leaves serve as the main fodder in Mexico, and there are various ways to prepare it.

Smoking pipes were made from cob stems.

Depending on the properties of the grain, corn is divided into seven subspecies. Of these, the most common in Russia are sugar (vegetable), siliceous and tooth-like. Starchy and popping corn are widely cultivated in the United States, where they have gained industrial importance. These subspecies are used, among other things, to prepare a traditional American dish - popcorn (English popcorn - “puffed corn”). Less known and widespread are such subspecies of corn as waxy and filmy. All subspecies, in turn, have many varieties that differ in ripening time, color and size of grains, their taste and ability for long-term storage.

Genetically modified (GM) corn was one of eleven GM crops grown commercially in the world in 2009. It has been grown in the USA and Canada since 1997. By 2009, 85% of corn grown in the United States was genetically modified. It is also grown commercially in Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Canada, the Philippines, Spain and, on a smaller scale, in the Czech Republic, Portugal, Egypt and Honduras.

The ancient Mayans had a corn god who was apparently identified with the harvest god Yum Kaash. He was depicted as a young man with a head ornament made of corn leaves, representing an opening ear of corn. It corresponded to a hieroglyph in the form of a grain of corn. The Mayan goddess Kukuitz was depicted adorned with corn leaves.

In Aztec mythology, the sun god and moon goddess had a son, Centeotl, the god of corn. According to legend, the god of corn was cut into pieces out of envy by another deity, which turned into corn and other useful plants. The Mexican name for corn, tlaolli, means “our body (meat).”

The Aztecs revered the corn goddess Shilonen (Shkanil), who was both the goddess of abundance and hearth. She was depicted with two ears of corn in her left hand.

In the mythology of primitive Mexico and Guatemala, the introduction of corn into culture is attributed to the supreme deity of the Toltecs and Mayans, Quetzalcoatl. According to legend, he went in search of a plant suitable for cultivation from Icalanco on the Tabasco coast and found corn in Pahil Cayala, which lies in the kingdom of Jibalba on the border of Mexico and Guatemala.

In modern intensive technologies for growing corn, an important role is played by rational cultivation, which creates favorable agrophysical conditions in the soil, stabilizes the phytosanitary condition of the crop, and provides the necessary prerequisites for the effective action of fertilizers, plant protection products and other intensification factors.

Corn is one of the most valuable feed crops. In terms of grain yield, it exceeds all grain crops. Grain is used for food purposes (20%), technical (15-20%) and feed purposes (60-65%). In terms of the content of feed units, corn grain is dominated by oats, barley, and rye. A kilogram of it contains 1.34 feed units, 78 g of digestible protein. Protein is represented by incomplete zein and glutelin, so the grain should be fed in a mixture with high-protein feed. Corn grain contains 65-70% carbohydrates, 9-12% protein, 4-8% vegetable oil (up to 40% in the germ) and only about 2% fiber. Contains vitamins A, BP B2, B6, E, C, essential amino acids, mineral salts and trace elements. The protein content is low, it is deficient in some essential amino acids, especially lysine and tryptophan.

In the Forest-Steppe, corn grows best after winter crops, legumes, sugar and fodder beets, buckwheat, and potatoes. In the Polesie zone, corn is placed after lupine, perennial grasses, flax, legumes, winter crops, and potatoes. Corn does not belong to crops that are very demanding on their predecessors.

Corn Fertilizer System

Corn requires significantly higher fertilizer rates than other grain crops. Of the organic fertilizers, bedding manure is most often used and applied for plowing. The application rate depends on the zone and soil fertility. In the western Forest-Steppe it is 30-40 t/ha, in Polesie - 40-60 t/ha. Liquid manure should be applied at 80-100 t/ha and immediately worked into the soil. Spring application of manure is not recommended. It is better to roll it up and use it in the fall.

Microelements.

Plants absorb from the soil an insignificant part of microelements that are in a mobile, easily accessible form, and immobile gross reserves of microelements can be available to plants after undergoing complex microbiological processes in the soil with the participation of humic acids and root secretions. Therefore, the gross content of microelements does not reflect the real picture of providing plants with microelements.

Corn seeds for sowing are most efficiently prepared at seed factories. It should have a high germination rate of 95% and a germination energy of 90%, which is especially important for obtaining uniform shoots and the formation of leveled crops. It is dried to a moisture content of 13-14%, the sizing is treated with fungicidal and insecticidal preparations.

Immediately after sowing, the field must be rolled. This improves seed-soil contact, increases field germination of corn and ensures friendly germination of weed seeds. Pre-emergence harrowing is carried out 5-6 days after sowing, when the weeds have sprouted and are in the “white thread” phase. They harrow across the rows with light (ZBP-0, 6) or medium harrows (BZSS-1). When carrying out 2-3 ladder harrows, 70-80% of weed seedlings can be destroyed. Post-emergence harrowing is carried out in the phases of 2-3 and 4-5 leaves in corn. The speed of the unit is 4.5-5.5 km/h.

Corn for grain is harvested at physiological maturity with grain moisture content not exceeding 35-40% using combine harvesters. By this phase, the accumulation of assimilates ends, as evidenced by the black layer (black dot) between the grain and the place where it is attached to the core of the head of cabbage. The “black dot” appears 55-60 days after the appearance of columns with stigmas (hairs) on the fork. If the grain moisture does not exceed 30%, then the forks are immediately threshed using grain combines with accessories.

The quality of silage is influenced by many factors. It is important to harvest the corn on time to ensure the dry matter content is between 30-35%. If the dry matter content is less than 28%, there is a risk of silage juice formation, and if it is more than 35%, difficulties may arise in compacting the silage mass.

One of the important elements of corn growing technology is the assembly process. In recent years, some farms have been harvesting corn late: in December and even in January. Probably, the prerequisite for this was not agrotechnical requirements, but production necessity and economic feasibility (low price of grain sales, lack of storage space and drying equipment, insufficient number of harvesting equipment).

Sources

Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia, WikiPedia

hnb.com.ua - Portal about a healthy lifestyle

grunt.at.ua - Agroportal

artemenko.com.ua - About farming