Wednesday, November 15, 2006
248-5

Effects of Pollination Method on the Wet Milling Efficiency of Hybrids from Exotic by Adapted Inbred Lines in Corn.

Oswaldo R. Taboada-Gaytan1, Linda Pollak2, Lawrence Johnson1, Steve Fox1, and Susan Duvick2. (1) Iowa State Univ, Dept of Agronomy, Agronomy Hall, Ames, IA 50011-1010, (2) Univ of Iowa, USDA-ARS, Agronomy Hall, Ames, IA 50011-1010

Corn (Zea Mays L.) is the main crop in the United States and starch is the most important derived product from the wet milling processing of the corn kernels. This study was conducted to determine whether Corn Belt lines introgressed with exotic materials from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Cuba and Florida have appropriate wet milling characteristics. Ten lines from the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize project were chosen on the basis of starch yield.  The highest and the lowest starch-yielding lines for each of the five different germplasm sources were selected. These ten lines were crossed to three testers that provide to the progeny different wet-milling efficiency. The compositional characteristics (moisture, starch, protein, and oil content) of the lines and the F1 and F2 generations of hybrids were estimated based on the use of the Near-Infrared Transmittance (NIR) technology by using a FOSS Infratec 1241 Grain Analyzer. The wet milling properties of both the lines and the two generations of hybrids were obtained by using the 100 g. modified wet milling procedure. This procedure yields starch, gluten, fiber, germ, and steepwater fractions. The Wet Milling Efficiency (WME) of the genetic materials under study is based on the starch recovered after milling 100 g in the laboratory; it is calculated by dividing the starch yield by the compositional starch and it is expressed in percentage. The WME of exotic corn lines and their hybrids was correlated positively with starch content. Statistical differences (Alpha=0.05) were found for yield of the wet milling fractions for lines, testers, and between the F1 and the F2 generations.