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www.SeedAlliance.org: Research >> OSA Participatory Plant Breeding >> OP SE Sweet Corn PPB
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Open Pollinated SE Sweet Corn
This Organic Seed Alliance PPB project was supported in 2007 by a generous grant from the Organic Farming Research Foundation. The project is still underway for the 2008 season.

OP Sweet Corn Background: Lack of varieties with good seedling emergence in cool soils limits the organic producer’s ability to plant sweet corn in early spring, particularly in cooler Northern regions. In conventional production the tendency for corn seed to rot in the cool spring soils is mitigated by treating the seed with fungicides, a practice not allowed in organic production. Farming partners Frank Morton and John Eveland of Gathering Together Farm are working with university plant breeders Jim Myers of Oregon State University and Bill Tracy of University of Wisconsin to develop an open pollinated SE (sugary enhanced) sweet corn with traits conducive to their organic growing conditions. Corn was chosen for the breeding project by the producers at GTF as it is a crop that is challenging for their system. The main objective of this project is to attain good eating quality along with early vigor and high percent germination under cool conditions. Additional desirable traits will be identified by the grower and incorporated into the selection process.

Sugary sweet corn with SE genes is the preferred type for Gathering Together Farm and other growers with a similar target market and scale of operation. The traditional flavor and creamy texture of the SE types is preferred for this organic grower over the crisp, extremely sweet flavor of the sh2 (shrunken2) varieties. Traditional su (sugary) type varieties lacking the SE gene lack sweetness and holding capacity in comparison. Although the SE varieties don’t have as great a post-harvest holding capacity as the sh2 varieties this is not a major concern since GTF, a 50-acre, diversified farm sells primarily direct to market through their farm stand, farmer’s markets, and CSA.