b"How Sweet It IsWhats new with traits, breeding and markets for sweet corn.Treena HeinEVERYONE LOVES SWEETcorn at summer barbequeshand, each year is unique. Water shortages in the west limit and in other dishes and at other times of year as well.growers' willingness to grow sweet corn, while processing mar-Consumption of this vegetable, among the most-consumed inkets seem to be up this year with consumer demands for frozen the United States (along with potatoes, tomatoes and onions) isand canned goods higher.booming according to many industry sources, including a recentBill Tracy, a corn breeder at University of Wisconsin-Madison report from Fact.MR. Theres a consistent demand for sweet(Madison), notes that most of the sweet corn grown in the United corn in developed countries, but also increased demand for it inStates goes for processing, but that consumption of almost all emerging economies, states the report, owing to the increasedfresh vegetables (including corn) has gone up over the last five spending on instant food such as noodles and soupsin con- to 10 years versus canned and frozen forms (especially canned). sumer driven markets such as China, India, Mexico and Brazil.Maybe its the anti-carbohydrate movement or that some The reports authors project that by the end of 2029, East Asia,people think sweet corn is genetically-modified (GMO), he says, South Asia and Latin America will hold about half of the globalbut none of whats processed is GMO and only about 10% of market share.fresh is GMO.While fresh and processed whole corn is very popular, pro-duction of corn products such as flour, starch, cornmeal, hominyColor Rangeand grits has also risen, according to the U.S. Department ofThe sweet corn breeding program at Madison has produced Agriculture. In 2018, 35.2 pounds per person of corn productsmany hybrids for commercialization over the last four decades, were available for consumption, up from 21.7 pounds in 1988.and as with other public crop breeding programs, the royalties Companies like Syngenta, Harris Seeds and Illinois Foundationenable continued production of hybrids with traits that private Seeds all report increasing sweet corn seed sales over the lastbreeders dont tend to focus on. few years, driven by new traits and technologies, as well asFor example, Tracy has collaborated for years with Mike Gore organic options.and Margret Smith at Cornell University, Dean DellaPenna at Each new variety released offers a distinct value to growers,Michigan State University and others to produce corn higher in says Harris Seeds Vegetable Product Manager Kristen Andersen.Vitamin A and two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. When And widespread performance data informs the best-suitedconsumed in proper amounts, these compounds could delay or product placement and growing methods. prevent the onset of age-related macular degenerationa lead-Because more sweet corn is being produced on fewer acres,ing cause of irreversible blindness in elderly people in Western acreage is consistent across the United States, according tosocieties. Syngentas Regional Portfolio Manager for large-seeded varie- Many older people are suffering from this condition, Tracy ties, Glenn McKay.explains. They were told not to eat eggs and egg yolk is a really Illinois Foundation Seeds President and CEO Clinton Nauglegood source of lutein. I dont believe any private companies are believes acreage is steady to slightly declining, but on the otherbreeding in this area. 32/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2020"