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Corn is deservedly considered the oldest plant. The golden cob with dense grains is familiar to everyone. Corn is a plant cultivated almost everywhere on an industrial scale. It has become a necessary feed, food and industrial crop.
Description of culture
Corn is classified as a cereal. Its cob, which is eaten, is a grain (seed), and not a fruit with pulp. Although the grains of young corn are very juicy and meaty. You can determine which family a plant belongs to by its structure. Botanists clearly classify corn as a relative of grains.
Corn, also known as maize (Zea mays) is a tall herbaceous plant with cobs. This is an annual crop from the cereal family. Can reach three meters in length.
The root system is fibrous, penetrating to great depths (up to 1.5 m), and well developed. The grain has one embryonic root, which, as it develops, reaches a considerable length. It remains functional throughout the life of the plant. Then lateral roots appear, followed by adventitious roots.
Large roots extending from the lower nodes act as supports for the tall stem, providing stability.
The stalk of corn is straight and quite thick (up to 8 cm). There is no emptiness inside; unlike many cereals, the trunk consists of loose parenchyma. The leaves have a linear-lanceolate shape. They are large and tough. The length reaches 1 m and the width is up to 12 cm.
Corn is classified as a monoecious plant. There are male flowers that are collected in large panicles and located at the top of the stem. Female inflorescences are located on the cob and grow in the axils of the leaves. These are the so-called corn silks (thread-like fibers). Once pollinated, they then form a fruit (seed).
The grains fit tightly together on the stem. An ear of corn can hold hundreds of kernels. Most often, they are yellow in various shades. Can be: black, red, purple. Corn is a vegetable or a cereal - this becomes clear when comparing the main distinguishing features of the family. The structure of the cob testifies in favor of the cereal.
History of the origin of corn
The lands of modern Mexico are recognized as the birthplace of corn. They began to grow it about 11 thousand years ago. The ancestor of corn was then many times smaller. Theories about the origin of the cultivated plant species are different:
Many breeders adhere to the first hypothesis. Maize, even before the arrival of Europeans, grew in the north and south of America. Since the 15th century, the plant began to spread at high speed throughout the continent. For this, new varieties were needed, which stimulated the development of crop breeding and led to the formation of different varieties of corn.
Types of corn
Over the past millennia, many types of corn have evolved. Based on grain morphology and shape, it is customary to distinguish seven main varieties of the crop:
There are several more less common species: caragua, nosed corn, Japanese. These species and their varieties are used for growing for silage, for feed, and for decorative purposes.
Corn cultivation
Corn has many advantages over other crops. The plant is unpretentious, it is not afraid of difficult weather conditions (resistant to drought, high temperatures, winds). Its grains have excellent nutritional and feed qualities. Growing this cereal is economically beneficial.
Corn is a heat-loving crop, but it is resistant to cold. Seeds begin to germinate when the soil temperature reaches +10ºС. The first shoots can tolerate frosts down to -3ºС. Although the plant is less moisture-loving, it requires a high water content in the soil. Especially during the period of grain formation and ripening. The growing season lasts from 84-140 days, depending on the variety.
The soil for sowing should be light and loose. Sandy loam, loamy and chernozem soils, which have a slightly alkaline or neutral reaction, are considered the best. If the soil is well fertilized, then a high yield can be achieved on sod-podzolic and drained drill soils.
It is useful to fertilize. Twice: during the formation of 3-4 leaves, before the appearance of panicles. For example, if there is a lack of phosphorus, which is a necessary supplement, the plant will slow down and the leaves will turn reddish.
Organic and mineral fertilizers are used. Organic mixtures are applied before plowing the soil. The amount of fertilizer must comply with the standards.
Corn is grown in two ways:
It is necessary to follow the seed sowing scheme. Corn is a cross-pollinated plant. Plant in rows or using the square-cluster method. The row spacing is 60 cm, in the row - every 40 cm. You can use the conveyor principle for varieties with different ripening periods. Seeds are sown at intervals of 10-15 days. The depth of the impact is about 7 cm.
It is not recommended to cultivate corn for several years in a row in one field (place): it is alternated with other cereals (wheat), legumes, and root crops.
Seeds are planted by the end of April or in the first half of May. Depends on the region. Further care comes down to watering, loosening and thinning the sprouts. When they grow to 20-25 cm, the side shoots (stepchildren) must be removed. This will increase productivity. Artificial pollination can be carried out.
The benefits of corn
The benefits of this tasty cob are difficult to overestimate. This is a valuable food crop. Rich in vitamins and microelements. Contains large quantities of vitamins E, A, PP and B. The composition includes about 27 elements from the periodic table. Corn has a small energy value, therefore included in the menu of many diets. It normalizes the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, tones the muscles, and can rejuvenate the body.
Boiled corn is especially useful for people with diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. It is suitable for allergy sufferers. The cereal is valuable because the grains, when heat treated, do not lose their beneficial properties.
Corn cobs and various parts of the plant are used in many areas:
This is not a complete list of uses and uses of corn. Finding out which family corn belongs to is not difficult. This is only necessary for specialists for correct classification. It is much more important to know and appreciate beneficial properties this irreplaceable plant.
The origin of corn is lost in the mists of time. In 1492, during his expedition, Christopher Columbus first saw corn among the inhabitants of the island of Cuba. He brought its seeds to Europe. Over the course of several years, corn spread widely in northern France, Italy, Southeast Europe and North Africa. At the beginning of the 16th century. The Portuguese brought it to the West Coast of Africa. In 1575 it came to China, the Philippines and East India.
Corn appeared in our country at the beginning of the 17th century. in the southern regions. It was cultivated for grain in Transcaucasia, the North Caucasus, and southern Ukraine. In the 70s of the last century, it was successfully grown by amateurs near Moscow - in the territory of the present Tula region. However, it was long believed that the northern border of the distribution of corn passes through Chernivtsi, Vinnitsa, Poltava, Lugansk, and Makhachkala. Until recently, corn was cultivated only in the south of the country. Its widespread introduction in the fields of our Motherland began after the September (1953) Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee. Now corn is moving further north, gaining universal recognition.
THE MIRACULOUS PROPERTIES OF CORN
“Green hero”, “queen of the fields”, “forage champion” - all these magnificent nicknames refer to corn. Why did corn receive them?
Look at a corn field at the end of July or August, walk between its rows, and you will feel like you are in the jungle. You are surrounded by tall stems, their powerful leaves filling all the free space between the plants. Each stem has one to four ears. A ripe, well-developed cob contains up to 1000 grains, each of which can weigh 1 g. The weight of the grains of the entire cob reaches 1 kg. The weight of the stem, leaves and inflorescences is 2-3 kg or more.
In terms of grain yield and green mass, none of the cultivated plants can compete with corn.
Corn is a “combined” crop: feed, industrial and food. First of all, corn is the most valuable feed for livestock and poultry. It contains many food units. A feed unit is the amount of nutrients in one kilogram of oat grain. A kilogram of rye contains 1.18 feed units, barley - 1.21, and corn grains - 1.34. In terms of yield, calculated in feed units per hectare, corn is second only to sugar beets. But cultivating beets requires 10 times more labor than corn.
Corn silage is an excellent feed for livestock. It increases the appetite of animals, and their productivity increases with amazing speed. Cows that are given corn in the form of green feed or silage significantly increase milk yield, the fat content in it increases, and the animals gain weight. 500 centners of green mass fed to cows yield 20,000 liters of milk, or 8.5 centners of butter. Cob silage is well eaten by pigs and poultry. For every 100 kg of corn grain, a pig gains up to 20 kg in weight. It’s not for nothing that they say: “With corn, the feed is juicy, the cows are dairy”, “Whoever has corn reserves has hams and sausages.”
The practice of many collective farms has proven that more than 500 centners of corn stalks and cobs can be obtained per hectare. Such a harvest ensures the production of 100 centners of meat and 300-400 centners of milk from 100 hectares of land assigned to the collective farm. In terms of labor costs, corn feed is the cheapest. Each workday spent on it gives the greatest return.
ONE HUNDRED PRODUCTS
Corn is the most valuable raw material for industry. Its stems are used to make paper, electrical insulating materials, cellulose, glue, and artificial cork. Acetone is obtained from the cores of its cobs - an important type of raw material in the production of plastics and artificial fibers. Cob wrappers are used as packaging material.
Corn yield compared to other forage crops. The numbers above the columns indicate the yield per hectare in feed units (the amount of nutrients in one kilogram of oat grain is taken as a feed unit). The white part of the column and the number on it indicate the yield per hectare in feed units from grain or root crops. The shaded part of the column and the number on it is the yield per hectare in feed units of green mass when used for silage or green fodder. The numbers under the columns indicate the yield of grain, root crops or green mass in centners per hectare.
In 1900, 108 industrial products made from corn were demonstrated at the Paris Exhibition. Nowadays, up to 150 technical and food products are made from corn. Flour, cereal, canned corn, corn flakes, starch, alcohol, molasses, sugar, butter, beer - all this is not a complete list of food products made from corn.
Corn grain contains 65-70% carbohydrates, 9-10% protein, 4-6% fat. It is significantly superior to other cereals in its carbohydrate and fat content. There is especially a lot of fat in the fetus. The germ is easily separated from the grain and used to obtain oil.
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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 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.
Besides nutritional value Corn has other uses as well. 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 corn wrapper carpets 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 get ethanol 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, provides direct evidence of the domestication of corn and plants various types pumpkin 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, the south 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. In Moldova, the famous Moldavian porridge mamalyga is prepared from corn; 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 cooked in one of the ordinary families 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 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, an 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 a dietary supplement for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes mellitus.
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 by another deity out of envy, 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, you can destroy 70-80% of weed seedlings. 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 a grain moisture content of no higher than 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 content 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 important elements corn growing technology is an assembly process. Recent years some farms harvested 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
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Corn. There is no generally accepted etymology, perhaps borrowed from Romanian, where kukurus is “fir cone”. It is also possible that it was formed from kukuru - a word used to call a bird when feeding grains. Subsequently, this onomatopoeic word was transferred to corn grains.
Corn. It's a difficult word. It seems that the closest thing to it is the Romanian “cucuruz”; if so, it probably once meant “fir cone,” and was then transferred to the newly introduced cereal with its cone-like cobs. Another name for corn - “maize” - is of South American, Haitian origin: after all, the plant was exported from America.
corn Ukrainian corn(d)z, corn(d)za, Bulgarian. corn, cucumara, kukuratka, serbohorv. corn, slovenian kukurúza, kukoríca, korúza, Polish. kukurudza, kukurydza. German Kukuruz borrowed. from glory It's a difficult word. Assumption about glory. origin and relationship with the Bulgarian. kukuryak "hebore", Slovenian. kukúrjav, kukúrjast “curly” (Berneker 1, 640 et seq., with doubt; Mladenov 261) does not eliminate the difficulties of word formation (-dz-). Wed, however, Bulgarian. momoruz, momoroz “corn”: mamalyga (Mladenov 303). From the interpretation from the tour. kokoros “corn” (Mi. TEl. 1, 334; EW 146; Weigand, JIRSpr. 17, 363 et seq.) were refused by Miklosic (Mi. TEl., Add. 2, 150) and Korsch (AfslPh 9, 521). If the source was rum. cucuruz (Korsh, ibid.), then it should have been originally. have meaning “fir cone” (see Tiktin, ZfromPh 40, 715). The hypothesis about the origin of kukuru is worthy of attention - calling poultry when feeding corn grains (Kretschmer (D. Wortgeogr. 330; “Glotta”, 13, p. 137), Kluge-Götze (335) think so).
The history of corn, which we often eat canned in salads or as popcorn, begins in very ancient times. And there are many dark spots in the origin of this very widespread cereal all over the world.
"Progressive" cereal
Corn (or maize) is the oldest cultivated plant existing in the world. During excavations in Mexico City, corn pollen was found that is 55 thousand years old!
Maize almost completely satisfies human nutritional needs. Modern research showed that this cereal contains such important vitamins as A, B, C, E, folacin (B9), niacin (B3), thiamine (B1). Corn contains a large amount of potassium, magnesium and even gold. In addition, it contains a lot of fiber and no gluten at all, unlike grains such as rye or wheat, which is of great importance for the nutrition of patients.
It is interesting that wild ancestors have never been found for corn - it seems that it has always been cultivated. And this is not the most surprising thing - its biggest mystery is that the “queen of fields,” as corn was called in Khrushchev’s times, is not capable of growing without human help!
It cannot reproduce by self-sowing and go wild - a ripe ear of corn kernels, if not removed in time, will simply fall to the ground and decay without producing “offspring.”
Researchers of paranormal phenomena claim that the mysterious properties of maize can only be explained by its alien origin - this cereal was once given to people by creatures who descended from heaven, whom earthlings considered gods.
Here is what astrologer Raul Rodriguez writes: “The most ordinary corn is the most important confirmation that humanity is of alien origin. For corn to reproduce, caring human hands are needed. For example, rice or wheat can grow on their own - their seeds will be spread by animals. But corn itself, without the participation of humans, is not capable of reproduction.
Corn is a gift given to humanity by the god Kukulcan or, as the Aztecs called him, Quetzalcoatl. Moreover, according to legend, it was from corn that man was created. An ear of corn, covered with leaves, will rot if it is not gutted by hand.”
This version is confirmed in ancient Aztec myths. According to legends, corn is a gift from the most important god Quetzalcoatl, a truly magical offering to man, because growing corn is quite simple, and with just one cob you can eat for the whole day. And in the climatic conditions of Central and South America The harvest is harvested four times a year!
Fish fertilizer
American scientist L. Morgan said: “Maize, due to its suitability for consumption both in green and in a ripe state, its high yield and nutritional value, turned out to be a richer gift of nature, contributing to the initial progress of mankind, than all other cereals combined.” .
The healthy and satisfying cereal quickly became the basis of the diet of the ancient Indians, spread across both American continents and served as the reason for the development and strengthening of the most mysterious and ancient civilizations - the Mayans, Aztecs and Olmecs. Having received such easy-to-process and high-calorie food, the ancient Indians began to master crafts, came to a sedentary lifestyle, and they developed cities and arts. At this time, wild tribes still roamed Europe.
The very first farmers grew rich crops of maize and learned to cook a variety of dishes from it. Corn was boiled, fried, baked, flour and even wine were made from it. And the leaves and stalks of corn were used for various household needs - they filled mattresses and were used to make clothes and shoes.
The ancient Indians knew that maize needed fertilizer. And they fertilized the corn by placing a whole fish along with the grain in a freshly dug hole when sowing - for fish was found in abundance in these places.
Maize walks around the planet
The great corn empire generously shared its fruits with Europe. When Columbus discovered America, among other things, he borrowed corn seeds from the new continent. She appeared at the Spanish court, and then ended up in France, Portugal, and Italy.
It must be said that the spread of corn was not accompanied by such tragedies as in the case of potatoes - in Europe they did not know that they should eat potato tubers, and several deaths were recorded from eating its poisonous fruits - green berries. No, everything turned out to be clear with corn - the nutritious and healthy grains appealed to both the rich and the poor.
From Europe, maize came to India and China and became a panacea for these countries with large starving populations. Corn appeared in Russia in the 17th century. But it became widespread only in southern regions- in the northern regions, the gift of the gods did not turn out to be very welcome - corn does not have time to ripen in our harsh climatic conditions. Almost all over the world this cereal is called maize - in ancient Indian language, but in our country it is known precisely as corn.
However, in the Penza region there is the village of Mais.
True, it is believed that this has nothing to do with corn; the village was named so for other reasons.
The etymology of the word “corn” is not completely clear. According to one version, it comes from the word “curly”, and according to another, the ancient Slavs used the word “kukuru” to call cattle to them (similar to how chickens are called with the words “chick-chick”).
And yet, in Russia, corn does not have the same cult status as in America - despite all the efforts of the First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Nikita Khrushchev at one time. And in the USA, maize is one of the most important cereals. There is even an expression there: “Corn is the glue that holds together such a diverse nation as the Americans.”
In fact, only one percent of the corn grown in the country is used for food in America. 85% of it is consumed by cows and pigs - and it is thanks to this cereal that the US meat and dairy industry ranks first in the world. And the remaining 14 percent of maize is used to produce a variety of food and non-food products, from corn whiskey to toothpaste and cough syrup.
This is how much benefit an unpretentious, modest plant brings. And although it is not known for certain where exactly corn came from on Earth, one thing is clear - its possession has become the greatest success for humanity.
Natalya TRUBINOVSKAYA
Maize is the most used food plant in the world. Without it, the world's population would not soon have reached half of its current size.
Its greatest use is in the form of cereals, or rather porridge made from cereals. This porridge has its own names in different nationalities, but the cooking recipe is approximately the same: It is boiled until it begins to thicken and eaten instead of bread.
Africans still do not have the slightest idea about the purpose of a fork. Even as immigrants in America, at a common dining table in every enterprise, they eat from a common plate, each with their fingers dipping pieces of maize into sauces, etc.
Few people know that it is corn grits that save tens of millions from hunger. Soviet people during the Trotskyist genocide. The then American President Griner?, being aware of what his “compatriots” were doing in the Land of the “Soviet”, began sending grain in trains to Russia. But having learned about the sabotage of the Minister of Transport Kaganovich on the railway, he continued to send it through Turkestan in caravans , buying up entire camel herds in Afghanistan.
True, this did not last long, only until his sudden death.
But this knight move was used during the Second World War to support frontline fighters in Tashkent and Almaat. This is precisely what explains the fact that many tens of thousands of their children were born in those years, in those parts.
Maize, as well as horses and many other plants and “domestic” animals, owe their appearance on Earth without any doubt to aliens.
The planet possessed valuable minerals and a new race of slaves was bred for humanity; it was necessary to help in the reproduction and development of mining. We will not delve into the already known names of the “creators”, but let us designate the main owner of the mine called Earth. This is the Anunak Marduk with the pseudonym “Satan” ". It is under his eye (that on the dollar) that he works to this day, he is the same down to the smallest detail created "economic" system. (I will talk about this in a separate case, because it will take up a whole volume.)
Regarding maize, it remains to add one more little-known “curiosity” to the whole world:
Americans successfully use corn grains for heating purposes. For this purpose, there are heating boilers specially equipped with a small feeding conveyor:
The grains enter the firebox depending on the set temperature and will never cause the boiler to overheat. The combustion of the grains is super-efficient.
The most “progressive” mass use of “corn” in the states is its distillation into ethanol. Industrial methods ensure mass production, which allows the addition of this useless surrogate to gasoline in a proportion of officially 10-15%, but in fact much more, which leads to emptying the gas tank much earlier than when using pure gasoline.
Ethanol, not having detonation properties, only burns “cleanly”, but does not bring any thrust to the engine. Americans cannot get enough of the pleasant sweet smell at gas stations, without delving into the cruel deception coming from the Ruler, whose name is in various ways implemented in all names of gas stations: www (Val+ snake/snake) and in almost all businesses in America. But about this also in another case...
