Maize kernel hardness: an analysis of its determination and application for different uses
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14409/fa.2025.24.e0039Keywords:
maize, kernel hardness, protein, starchAbstract
Maize production has a wide range of uses, from direct consumption by livestock to industrial processing for the obtainment of products for animal and human consumption, bioethanol production, and other industrial application. Production is mainly intended for animal feed, which represents approximately 60% of global production. Other industrial uses of maize include dry milling, wet milling and bioethanol production. Maize grain quality is defined based on their final destination. Each industry requires grains with a particular composition and texture. In this sense, endospermic hardness plays an essential role in determining quality for different uses. Maize kernel hardness is mainly determined by the genotype, but the post-flowering environment and the interaction between both also determine it. In this review, it will be analyzed grain quality requirements, particularly kernel hardness, for different uses, as well as the genetic and environmental factors that determine kernel hardness in maize.
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