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Sweet corn was originally due to the recessive allele sugary1 ( su1). Sweet corn breeders frequently use field corn genotypes for broadening the narrow genetic base of sweet corn but they have to deal with the reduced viability of su1 plants within some field corn genetic backgrounds. Emergence and seedling vigor are the most critical traits affecting the viability of su1 plants. In two populations of RILs involving sweet corn inbred lines developed from B73 × P39 and B73 × IL14 h, a net natural selection was revealed acting against the su1 allele. In the field, 27 QTLs were detected for the RILs released from B73 × P39 and 24 QTLs for those from B73 × IL14 h, while different numbers of QTLs were detected in growth chamber trials, depending on the seed origin and evaluation conditions that were not consistent across genotypes or environments. The viability of su1 is under genetic and environmental controls with significant additive effects that are probably due to multiple genes with minor contribution. There are specific genes involved in the mutant viability and these genes depend not only on the mutant and the environment but also on the genetic background into which the mutant is introduced. Some of the QTLs identified in this study explained large proportions of variance and could be used by sweet corn breeders in breeding new genotypes from field × sweet corn crosses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize kernels with diverse colors have pigments and other substances with antioxidant capacity that can be highly beneficial for human health. Our objectives were to analyze antioxidant capacity of the different maize kernel colors, to investigate if selection for color intensity increases antioxidant capacity and to check the effect of bakery processing on antioxidant capacity. Pigment content was directly related to antioxidant capacity in maize kernels and also to the hydrophilic fraction, while the lipophilic fraction was not related to antioxidant capacity. Visual selection for kernel color increased anthocyanin content from 0.55 to 1.13 μmol/g of fresh weight in one unique cycle of selection. The traditional method for making maize bread out of whole maize flour has not significant effects on pigment content or antioxidant capacity. Therefore, maize bread made out of black or purple maize provides significant amounts of antioxidant substances potentially beneficial for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]