Corn is a vegetable or a cereal? Varieties and hybrids of maize

This question has long been answered by botanists. Everyone knows that corn is a cereal crop. To consider, that corn is a vegetable, it is possible purely conditionally. It is rich in various useful elements, meaty and juicy in taste. Well, just like a tomato or cabbage. But when the grains are fully ripened, they become hard, glassy to the touch, resembling wheat or rye.

Another confirmation of the belonging of a plant to a family of cereals is its structure. Everything, starting from the stem, flowering with panicles, the formation of the ears, the type of fruit, obviously shows what corn is. This vegetable pleases the person with root crops or a juicy pulp covering the seeds. Corn is directly tasty seeds. In addition, it contains fiber.

What is corn, origin

Official science claims that corn is a relative of cereals. This is an annual plant (herbaceous), reaching a height of more than three meters. Has an erect stalk, on which several seed cobs are formed in the trunks of the trunk. Monoecious. Grains are usually bright yellow in color. They are the raw materials for corn groats.

Ancestor of the species is wild maize. The natural area of its habitat occupied the central parts of America. It had small cobs 5-8 cm in length, the seeds were covered with rigid scales. Scientists consider it to be one of the most ancient species of the family.

What is corn, as not the most valuable food product and a powerful fodder base for agricultural needs in the modern world? Virtually all parts of the plant are applicable to processing. This culture is distinguished by the presence of gold both in fruits and in green mass.

Elements of agricultural technology

Sowing of varietal corn begins in mid-May, roughly for medium latitudes. The depth of the grain is between 5 and 10 cm. The soil temperature must be at least 10 degrees. Standard landing schemes: 60X70 or 70X70. It is recommended to add superphosphate simultaneously with sowing, especially on poor soils.

During the formation of four leaves, the shoots are subjected to thinning. In the nest should remain no more than 2 stems. Hilling is carried out immediately before discarding the flower panicles.

Twice a season it is desirable to feed plants with superphosphate, potassium chloride and nitrate. This will positively affect the size of the fruit and their timely aging. Early and middle-ripening varieties are ready to eat cobs for 70-80 days, counting from the emergence of sprouts.

Rotations

Cultivation of corn on an industrial scale involves the implementation of crop rotations. Thanks to them, the level of disease of plants decreases, the volume of grain yield increases.

The best precursors, after which maize grows well, are potatoes, legumes, spring wheat, and steam. It is also permissible to grow sugar beet, maize silage, spring forage.

It is most convenient to carry out a rotation on the principle of several fields, where each type of cultivated crop is present in the crop rotation (multipole system). This makes it possible to obtain high yields and not lose a certain type of agricultural production in the volumes of annual production.

Cultures for Neighborhood

Cultivating corn at home, it is always possible to plant other plants in the neighborhood. Corn family "cereals" pretty easily reconciles with any species, and with some can enter into a kind of symbiosis. So, for example, planting a number of cucumbers or weaving beans, there is no need for additional supports. Corn stalks will perfectly cope with this task. In turn, the lianas give additional resistance to the plant, which is important for strong gusts of wind.

All kinds of peas and bush beans, planted side by side, enrich the radical space with nitrogen, giving the maize additional strength. During the sowing, you should first plant the corn and wait for the sprouts to appear, then - any other crops. Then it will have time to gain strength and will not be oppressed by its neighbors.

Corn: varieties and hybrids

The modern variety of varieties is obtained on the basis of corn ordinary. This heat-loving plant came from South America. Thanks to the efforts of breeders and long-term work, mankind has:

1. Corn of tooth-like varieties. The most cost-effective for cultivation. You can get record harvests up to 150 quintals per hectare. Excellent feed for cattle (cattle) and other farm animals. Fat contains up to 5%, protein mass - up to 10%.
2. Corn sweet varieties. Due to the high content of carbohydrates (75%) and proteins (20%), as well as sugar, it is extremely nutritious and is used for billets. The presence of fat in it is small. This is the most cultivated type of corn on the entire European continent.
3. Waxy corn. Varieties are not widely spread, but rich in starchy substance (the most valuable amylopectin!) - up to 95% of the content. It is irreplaceable as an additive to the diet of cattle.
4. Siliceous corn. A good frost resistant variety, not located to lodging stems and shedding grain. Has high immunity against a wide range of fungal diseases and rot. It contains enough starch - about 87%, and is nutritious for animals. However, this variety is not too harvested, only 65-75 centners from Ha.
5. Corn for popcorn (bursting). Very popular hybrids and varieties of this corn in many branches of the confectionery industry. A feature of grains is their ability to swell when heated and increase their volume, turning into an airy crunchy structure.

A little corn humor

The question "Corn is a vegetable or a cereal?" At one time was very interested in the inhabitants of the State of New York. And it was caused by the fact that the competition for the adoption of the "vegetable" emblem of the state was being held. Bow and corn entered competition, and the latter won the vote.

Adherents of onions were indignant for a long time and demanded to recognize the victory as invalid, because corn is a cereal! In addition, the volume of product production in this region is much inferior to onions.

But as they say, America is a free country, and not just for people. Even the statement "Corn is a vegetable!" Will sound quite natural here. After all, in due time, under the reign of Reagan, a favorite ketchup was recognized as a vegetable!

And what will an ordinary person say? Corn is a vegetable or a cereal? Probably, all the same, because as it is called, it still remains tasty, nutritious and useful!