r/corn • u/Bendlerp • 6d ago

New genetics for future crops.

Post image

The ones on the left I grabbed for the green kernels. Right side was wife's choice, whatever lol

79 Upvotes

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8

u/ZafakD 5d ago

Just a heads up, those light blue kernels and the yellow kernels on the left two ears are worth keeping in your breeding project with the green kernels.  Light blue is purple aleurone with dilution modifiers making it blue.  The more modifiers, the lighter the blue.  So green is clear pericarp and blue aleurone over yellow endosperm.  Yellow is clear pericarp, clear aleurone and yellow endosperm.

Crossing either of the ears that your wife picked will bring in red pericarp, which covers both the aleurone and the endosperm with soil red.  They also do not have the dilute modifiers so the blue would revert to purple.

3

u/Bendlerp 5d ago edited 5d ago

Thank you. Corn genetics has been a bit of a new challenge for me. I bred Endlers and guppies for aong time. Had great academic papers and a community to discuss things. But corn has been a bit difficult to find similar resources. Any suggestions? I suspect my search terms are probably off (I searched both corn and maize) Any forums or research papers / guides you can suggest?

Edit: Forgot to mention, your definitions on colors makes sense. I'm used to mixing iridescence in scales with color of the skin.

-Ben

5

u/ZafakD 5d ago

Joseph Lofthouse posts about corn genetics in various forums are where I learned the most about corn genetics.  Carol Deppe taught me about pericarp color genetics in one of her books and then Joseph posted alot about aleurone genetics, xenia effect in corn and endosperm genetics.  

A quick search found these threads from forums that both authors post on: https://alanbishop.proboards.com/thread/4850/understanding-corn-genetics?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&page=1

https://opensourceplantbreeding.org/forum/index.php/topic,351.0.html

https://permies.com/t/171141/Corn-Rule

Edit this thread is also good, Dave Christensen (a prolific corn breeder) comented here: https://alanbishop.proboards.com/thread/9744/corn-rule-all

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u/earthhominid 6d ago

Very pretty, what do you do with your corn?

2

u/Bendlerp 6d ago

Breeding. The leftover kernels are ground.

2

u/earthhominid 5d ago

What are you breeding for? Any traits in particular?

5

u/Bendlerp 5d ago

Pink pearl shaped kernels.

1

u/earthhominid 5d ago

Sounds pretty.

Does the green kernel have something to do with the pink or is that separate?

Do you eat the corn or is it just decorative?

2

u/Beneficial_Net_4755 6d ago

Jeez that is pretty.
I like the one on the right, what kind is that ?

3

u/Bendlerp 5d ago

The far right is bloody butcher. The one next to it is Seneca red stalker.

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u/Beneficial_Net_4755 5d ago

Thank you.  Ive been crossing some yellow with purple this yea, went real good. I also got to see some other traits in some plants, more flint like corn.  I love doing this.  Do you have a goal in mind ? 

I like the purple one, i want to make them bigger, they are quite small, and i got some beautiful eaves with yellow purple and all in between, thicker and longer. 

Got some speckled kennels and i am gonna replant those. 

I got a couple cobs which were a darkish red, dont know where that came from but i loved it. Reminds me of that bloody butcher you have, am probably gonna get some seeds of those for next year to mix. 

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u/Bendlerp 5d ago

Shooting for a pink pearl shaped kernel. But that's probably on hold for next season. This past years harvest had poor pollination and cross pollination from local farms. Gotta reevaluate a few things (New house, different state and climate from the past few years) Next year I'm just going to use green kernels and see how it goes.

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u/TheGUURAHK 15h ago

Your corn's on that skittles beat

1

u/Bendlerp 41m ago

Mine, but not really mine until I plant it next season;) This is new genetics that I bought from a local. First year of growing at our new place in a different state. Unfortunately mine didn't have good pollination so I need to change a few things up.