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What Kind of Seed Is Corn?

Corn seeds, which are also the fruit or kernels of corn, come in several varieties but all derived from the original Native American corn. This is primarily grown in the mid-states and southern areas in the U.S., as well as many areas of the world. Since the original corn was discovered, different varieties have developed or been hybridized for a range of uses that include human nutrition based on the kernel fruit, using dried kernels for flour and cornmeal, and growing seed corn as feed for livestock.

  1. Types of Seed Corn

    • All seed corn is a monocot; that is, each single seed provides the food basis for growing one stalk. Two main varieties of seed corn exist: sweet corn and field corn. Most people think of corn as sweet, because that's what they eat and the sweet corn in grocery stores is more palatable for human taste with less starch and more sugar. It's also more tender. However, the vast majority of corn grown is field or grain corn, which is used to feed livestock such as cattle, poultry and hogs. Beyond these two basic categories are specific varieties, most of which are hybrids -- including yellow, white, bi-color, multi-color and supersweet corn, as well as other specialized varieties.

    Size and Shape

    • Corn kernels or seeds vary depending on the variety. Their size ranges from about 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch, and the shape can be close to cylindrical or almost round.

    How Seed Pollination Occurs

    • Corn seeds are wind-pollinated. Husks enclose the female flower found on the ear; "silk" strands are the flower stigmas that enable pollination. When pollen blown on the wind contacts this stigma, a pollen tube passes through the silk to fuse with the egg. It's from this fertilized egg that the corn seed or kernel develops.

    Hybrid & Genetically Modified Seeds

    • Hybrid varieties of seed corn have long been common, resulting in corn that may be sweeter, last longer, grow more vigorously or better resist disease. In recent years, some new types of corn have been genetically modified in a lab to resist insect damage. Also known as GMO -- genetically-modified organism -- corn, this specific type of corn seed is strictly regulated to avoid cross-pollination in the fields. It's only available to commercial growers who must agree to specific terms of use.

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Garden Seeds
  1. What Are Seed Balls?
  2. What Is a Dormant Seed?
  3. What Kind of Vent Does a Corn Stove Need?
  4. Corn Seed Information
  5. What Is Perlite Seed Starter?
  6. Types of Corn Seed
  7. Varieties of Corn Seed
  8. How to Dry Corn Seed
  9. What Kind of Grass to Plant?
  10. What Kind of Grass Seed Is Barenbrug?
  11. Corn Seed Treatments
  12. What Kind of Soil to Use to Germinate a Seed?

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