Sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata)

Sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. saccharata) is a warm-season specialty maize harvested at the milk stage for fresh, frozen or canned consumption. ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research has bred public sweet-corn hybrids alongside the private sector for the Indian QSR and export segments.

Key characteristics

• Scientific Name: Zea mays L. var. saccharata (sugary mutations su1, sh2, se)
• Harvest Stage: milk stage, 70-90 DAS
• Seasons: kharif and rabi suitable across India
• Mandate Institute: ICAR-IIMR Ludhiana

Cultivation and adoption

The crop fits both kharif and rabi seasons with 70-90 day cob-harvest cycles, and demand is rising rapidly in urban India. Sweet-corn varieties carry homozygous su1, sh2 or se mutations that retain sugars by delaying conversion to starch.

References

1. Cultivars - ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research. https://iimr.icar.gov.in/cultivars-2/
2. Sweet Corn Research Advances - MDPI Agronomy. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/5/1260