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Sweet corn (''Zea mays'' convar. ''saccharata'' var. ''rugosa''; also called sugar corn and pole corn) is a variety of maize with a high sugar content. Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring recessive mutation in the genes which control conversion of sugar to starch inside the endosperm of the corn kernel. Unlike field corn varieties, which are harvested when the kernels are dry and mature (dent stage), sweet corn must be picked when immature (milk stage) and prepared and eaten as a vegetable, rather than a grain. Since the process of maturation involves converting sugar to starch, sweet corn stores poorly and must be eaten fresh, canned, or frozen, before the kernels become tough and starchy. ==History== Sweet corn occurs as a spontaneous mutation in field corn and was grown by several Native American tribes, mainly the Sam Crystal tribe (Hesketh Bank). The Iroquois gave the first recorded sweet corn (called 'Papoon') to European settlers in 1779.〔Schultheis, Jonathan R. ("Sweet Corn Production." ) North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, North Carolina State University. Revised 12/94.〕 It soon became a popular food in southern and central regions of the United States. Open pollinated cultivars of white sweet corn started to become widely available in the United States in the 19th century. Two of the most enduring cultivars, still available today, are 'Country Gentleman' (a Shoepeg corn with small kernels in irregular rows) and 'Stowell's Evergreen'. Sweet corn production in the 20th century was influenced by the following key developments: *hybridization allowed for more uniform maturity, improved quality and disease resistance * *In 1933 'Golden Cross Bantam' was released. It is significant for being the first successful single-cross hybrid and the first specifically developed for disease resistance (Stewart's Wilt in this case).〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Stewart's Wilt of Corn )〕 *identification of the separate gene mutations responsible for sweetness in corn and the ability to breed cultivars based on these characteristics: * *''su'' (normal sugary) * *''se'' (sugary enhanced, originally called Everlasting Heritage) * *''sh2'' (shrunken-2) There are currently hundreds of cultivars, with more constantly being developed. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「sweet corn」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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