New corn mutants offer sweeter taste for extended time

By Hugh G. EARNHART

OSU Ext. master gardener volunteer

It has been a long time since our taste buds were rewarded with the flavor of summer sweet corn.

For the sweet corn connoisseur, the withdrawal during the winter months is brutal. Frozen corn and canned corn is just not the same.

We are eager to locate sweet corn that satisfies our palate. The hunt is on for the best sweet corn.

Corn with a sweet taste was known to the Andes Mountains Indians of South America, then drifted north through Central America over centuries and was a staple to the Native Americans on this continent who called it maize.

The friendly Samoset Indians of Massachusetts introduced it to the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1620.

The skill of hybridization has produced the sweet corn we crave today.

Sweet corn is a mutation of what we call field or dented corn. The mutation causes the kernel to accumulate almost three times the sugar of the standard dented corn.

The sweet corn kernel, compared to the field corn, is not only high in sugar, but is wrinkled and translucent when dried.

It is a member of the grass family Graminae.

Recently, several new mutants have been introduced to improve corn quality: the sugary enhanced (se) and the shrunken (sh-2) genes.

The more sugary enhanced varieties called Everlasting Heritage will be popular at local markets because they contain more sugars than normal sweet corn and will remain sweet two to four days after harvest if refrigerated.

Some suggested varieties are candy corn, honey select, cafe, bodacious, ambrosia and incredible.

The shrunken-2 sweet corn has an advantage over the other sweet corn since it’s two to three times sweeter, the conversion of sugar to starch is negligible, and the sweet taste will remain up to 10 days after harvest. Corn grown for distant markets and individuals who are slow eaters will reap these benefits.

Again, some suggested varieties to raise or purchase are enchanted, kickoff, nirvana, temptress, extra tender and serendipity.

Once you purchase sweet corn, it should be stored at 35 degrees to retain its sweetness. The faster the field heat is removed from the corn after it is harvested, the longer the shelf life will be.

Corn husks pull moisture out of the kernels, so husked corn will stay fresher for longer than unhusked corn.

Ask your sweet corn provider for se or sh-2 corn. Nearly all sweet corn types today, except heirloom varieties, have these two recessive genes. Do not confuse the above with genetically modified (GMO) varieties of corn.

Visit http://go.osu.edu/sweetcorn to learn more about today’s sweet corn.