Waxy corn

The starch content of the kernels is what separates waxy from regular yellow dent field corn. Normal corn kernels consist of 75% amylopectin and 25% amylose while waxy varieties are nearly 100% amylopectin. Amylopectin is a form of starch that consists of branched glucose chains while amylose is made up of unbranched glucose molecules.

Plants are about 1.8- 2 m high. This variety has a wide adaptability to tropical conditions. It develops a strong root system and has good tolerance to lodging and rust.

The seeds are used to plant delicious waxy corn, also called sticky corn, not sweet corn. Waxy corn should be planted about 200 meters away from yellow corn or should be planted 21 days earlier or later than yellow non-waxy hybrid to avoid cross pollination. Planting distance is 70 cm between rows and 20 cm between hills or about 70,000 plants per hectare.

Waxy corn is processed in wet milling to produce waxy cornstarch which retrogrades back to the crystalline form of starch slowly. Waxy corn starch can be used as thickener and stabilizer due to its special natural properties, such as seasoning, frozen food, children's food, pudding and baked food, etc. it can also be used as an adhesive for salad food. Starch from waxy corn is also used in the papermaking and adhesive industries.
Waxy corn