Maize Plants are one of the most widely grown crops worldwide, and for this reason it is one of the most important food crops in the world.
It provides about 20% of the calories consumed by humans. Maize is used for making flour, starch, oil, sugar, ethanol, beer, and many other products.
Maize is used to make food products such as corn flakes, tortillas, popcorn, and many different kinds of bread. There are two main types of maize plants: sweet corn and field corn. However, the varieties of maize plants don’t stop there. Read on to find out about other varieties of maize plants.
1. Sweet Corn
Sweet corn is grown primarily for its delicious flavor. Sweet corn is usually harvested while immature, meaning that it is still green and it can be eaten raw or cooked. It is true that sweet corn can be eaten right out of the husk. It can also be steamed, boiled, grilled, roasted, fried, baked, or microwaved.
Sweet corn is usually eaten cooked while field corn is used for making flour. Sweet corn is typically planted in the spring and harvested in the fall.
Field corn is planted in the fall and harvested in the late winter or early spring. It is true that field corn is much larger than sweet corn. Sweet corn is about 2 inches tall while field corn can grow up to 8 feet tall.
Sweet corn is sweeter than field corn. Sweet corn tastes great when cooked. Field corn does not taste as good when cooked. Sweet corn is easier to grow than field corn, and it requires less water and fertilizer than field corn.
Sweet corn grows faster than field corn and it takes about 3 weeks to mature, while field corn takes 6 weeks to mature.
Sweet corn is more nutritious than field corn. Sweet Corn contains higher levels of protein, fiber, iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin A, B6, C, E, and folic acid. Field corn has higher amounts of starch, sugar, oil, and protein.
2. Field Corn
Field corn is one of the most common varieties of maize plants. Field corn is used to produce animal feed. Field corn is also used as a vegetable and it is planted in rows. After planting, farmers cut off the ears of corn when they reach maturity. Farmers sell field corn after it has been dried.
Farmers harvest field corn by cutting the stalks close to the ground. They then pick up the ears of corn and carry them to a barn. There, they hang the ears of corn upside down.
After hanging for several days, the ears of corn dry out. Farmers then take the ears of corn down from the barn. They store them in bins.
After drying, farmers grind the ears of corn into a meal. They then mix the meal with other ingredients such as wheat bran, soybean oil, molasses, and minerals.
This mixture is called corn gluten feed. It is used to feed livestock. Besides being used to feed animals, field corn is also used to make paper. Paper made from field corn is called flax paper.
3. Popcorn
Popcorn is another variety of maize plant. Popcorn is a grain crop that grows in rows. It is planted in fields where it is hand-harvested. The kernels are popped using steam heat. The kernels are then sold in bags or boxes. Popcorn is available year round, however, it is best enjoyed during summer months.
Popcorn is generally not considered healthy. It does contain some vitamins, but it also has high levels of fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
However, it is possible to make healthier versions of popcorn. For example, you can cook popcorn with whole grains instead of refined white flour. You can also add fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and nuts to your popcorn.
You can also try adding cheese to your popcorn. Cheese adds protein and calcium to your diet. You can even experiment with popping your own popcorn. You can do this by placing a pot of water near a stove burner. Heat the water until it boils.
Then, place a metal bowl inside the pot. Add 1 cup of popcorn kernels to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a lid. When the kernels start popping, remove the cover.
Continue to pop the kernels until they stop popping. Remove the bowl from the pot. Pour the popped corn into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt on top. Enjoy!
4. Flint Corn
Flint corn is a hybrid of popcorn and field corn and this type of corn is used for livestock feed. Flint corn is also used to produce ethanol fuel and it has even been genetically modified so that it produces more oil. This increases its value when used to make ethanol fuel.
Flint corn is often harvested at an early stage in development; so farmers will remove the ears of corn from the stalks. Then, they place them in a bin where they dry.
After drying the ears of corn, farmers separate the kernels from the cobs. They then grind the kernels into flour. The farmer will use this flour to make animal feed.
5. Dent Corn
Dent corn is another variety of maize. Dent corn is grown specifically for human consumption and it is primarily used to make food products like tortillas, chips, and crackers.
Dent corn is usually harvested before it reaches full maturity, and when dent corn is ready to be harvested, farmers cut the stalks close to ground level.
Then, the farmers will gather all of the ears of corn together. The farmer takes the ears of corn to a processing facility. There, he or she removes the husks from the ears of corn. Next, the farmer cuts open the ears of corn. He or she removes the silk that covers each ear of corn.
The farmer will then separate the kernels from the cob, and the kernels are placed in a container. Finally, the farmer will dry the kernels and this helps preserve the flavor of the corn.
Once the corn is dried, it is stored in bins; people will buy dried corn because it keeps longer than fresh corn.
6. Waxy Corn
Waxy corn is a hybrid of sweet corn and popcorn. Waxy corn is used mostly for human consumption. It is processed into various foods such as corn syrup, corn starch, and cornmeal. This corn is typically harvested at an early stage of growth.
At this point, farmers cut the stumps close to the ground. They then pull the ears of corn off the stumps. The farmer places the ears of corn in a bin where they will dry. After drying, the farmer grinds the ears of corn into flour and the corn flour is used to make corn starch.
Corn starch is used to make many different types of foods including pasta, sauces, soups, and desserts. In addition, corn starch is used to coat some candies. People eat this kind of corn because it tastes very similar to regular corn but it contains less sugar.
7. Pearl Millet
Pearl millet is a grain that is often used as a cereal crop. Pearl millet is native to Africa and Asia. However, it was brought to Europe during the Middle Ages. Now, pearl millet is cultivated throughout the world. Pearl millet is not only used as a food source but it can also be used to make animal feed.
When farmers plant pearl millet, they grow it in rows. At planting time, farmers apply fertilizer and other nutrients to the soil. Farmers may also add compost to the soil.
After planting, farmers water their crops regularly. Farmers harvest pearl millet after it has matured. They cut the plants down and leave the stems on the ground.
After harvesting, farmers thresh the grains by shaking them through screens. They then winnow the grains using wind power. Winnowing allows farmers to remove any remaining chaff.
Farmers then store the cleaned grains in bins until they need them. People eat pearl millet because it is nutritious and easy to digest.
In Conclusion
There are many different kinds of maize plants. They include sweet corn, field corn, popcorn, flint corn, dent corn, and pearl millet. Sweet corn is the most common variety of maize plant. Sweet corn is usually planted in the spring and picked in the summer.
Field corn is planted at the end of the summer and picked in the fall. Popcorn is a type of sweet corn. Flint corn is a type of field corn. Dent corn is another name for field corn. Pearl millet is a type of grass.
It is true that maize is one of the most widely grown crops in the world. Maize is used for food, feed, fuel, and industrial products. There are actually two main types of maize plant: Bt corn and non-Bt corn.
Non-Bt corn is the traditional type of maize plant, whereas Bt corn is genetically modified to produce its own insecticide.
