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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #115191
Title: COMPOSITIONAL, PHYSICAL, AND WET-MILLING PROPERTIES OF ACCESSIONS USED IN THE GERMPLASM ENHANCEMENT OF MAIZE PROJECT

Author
item SINGH, S - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item JOHNSON, L - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Pollak, Linda
item HURBURGH, C - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) Project is using exotic genes to improve commercial hybrids through cooperative efforts by public and private corn scientists. Traits that can add value to commercial hybrids, such as improve them for milling, are targets of the project. The objective was to characterize the exotic accessions or populations for traits that affect wet milling, to determine their value in adding the value-added traits to commercial hybrids. The selected accessions did not contain unique traits that affect wet milling, but breeders could utilize their wide variation for the properties to develop unique lines that can be used in hybrids. In addition, traits that made them less suitable for wet milling than commercial hybrids may make them more suitable breeding material for other uses than are adapted hybrids, such as for animal feed.

Technical Abstract: Forty-nine accessions used in the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize Project, two commercial hybrids (Pioneer Brand Hybrids 3394 and 3489), and two Corn Belt inbreds (B73 and Mo17) were evaluated for their compositional, physical, and wet-milling properties. The accessions had lower starch contents (65.9-69.1% versus a mean of 72.2% for two commercial hybrids) and dgreater protein contents (12.0-14.4% versus a mean of 8.2% for two commercial hybrids) than the improved Corn Belt material. Absolute densities were consistently higher for the accessions compared to the commercial hybrids (1.320 versus 1.265 g/cc, respectively). The wet-milling characteristics of the accessions were not nearly as good as for the commercial hybrids. Mean starch yields were only 54.3% for the accessions versus 64.8% for the commercial hybrids. Residual protein levels in the starches recovered from the accessions were much greater (0.45-2.03%) than for commercial corn hybrids (< 0.3%).