b'Because improving the nutritional quality of crops throughIt involves a combination of genes and a number of compa-breeding (called biofortification) is a cost-effective and sus- nies are now using now them, he notes. Some of our other vari-tainable approach to potentially help address such nutritionaleties have different flavors, such as one with a maple flavor and deficiencies, Tracey and his colleagues are working to identifyat the opposite end, there are non-sweet varieties for stir fries genes responsible for variation in the levels of carotenoids andand other dishes where you dont want a strong sweet flavor. He other compounds, and develop marker-based prediction modelssays he and his colleagues would love to someday see corn with for breedinglocally-adapted sweet corn hybrids to have darkdistinct characteristics being marketed the way apples are. orange grain thats high in these compounds.The corn (maize) genome was mapped by late 2009, a four-At literally the other end of the color spectrum, Naigle reportsyear, $31-million project that involved a large U.S.-based con-that at Illinois Foundation Seeds, one recent focus has been tosortium of researchers. At that point in time, it was the largest improve the white color in hybrids. I think it has a more appealinggenome ever mapped for a plant species (2.3 billion base pairs and fresh look. We have our first pure white variety out this year,among 32,000 protein-coding genes on 10 chromosomes). Platinum XR, and well continue working to improve the color ofAt Syngenta, Walker says that the sweet corn breeding team the other white hybrids in our portfolio. uses genetic marker-assisted techniques, and that theyre excited about the future identification of more markers for traits related Other Breeding Goals to disease resistance, tenderness and color. Overall, Walker notes that breeding sweet corn is complex because the market is highly segmented; different character- Future Outlookistics are needed for processed corn versus fresh, for example,Tracey believes that as people become more interested in differ-and fresh corn thats shipped long distances in the off-seasonent types of food and food preparation, this will drive continual obviously needs to maintain a longer shelf life than fresh cornimprovements in sweet corn quality and also more types being thats consumed locally.produced for specialty uses. He also predicts that more kernel Breeders also need to take other characteristics besidescolors, ranging from orange to dark purple to pink, will become color and shelf life into account, says Walker, from maturity toa reality for consumers. endosperm types to production traits needed by growers andWe should also see improved disease resistance and competi-consumer-oriented traits like flavor, eye-appeal and texture. tive ability with weeds, resulting in reduction of pesticide use, Tracy and his team members have already developed whatTracey says, adding that organic farmers really need better insect he calls ultra-high-quality corn with an improved crunch andresistance because their control options are very limited.SWmouth feel. 34/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2020'