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wesserma

S American Giant Eared Corn

wesserma
17 years ago

When I was living in Chile I was amazed by the corn ears that I saw - they were about 7" in diameter, and 2' long. It's usually just referred to as "Choclo" which unfortunately just means "corn". Does anyone know where I can find seeds for that kind of corn, or even what you call it in English? It's what they use to make stews and a few other dishes that I really miss, and sweet corn just isn't a good substitute (it's too sweet).

Thanks

Comments (10)

  • gonefishin
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You might try posting the same question in the vegetable growing forum. There is a guy named George (MacMex) who has done missionary work in Mexico and other south American countries (I believe) lives in Oklahoma now and is very knowledgable. He posts there some.
    Just a thought.
    Bill P.

  • farmfreedom
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If you find this one let me know ! I interests me! I want some also ! There used to be a strain called "Jala Valley Landrace " that grew ears to 3 feet long . However gene contamination from crossbreeding has brought it to now 18 inch ears . I have a strain similar to corn nuts that has kernels the size of a nickle it is called "Peru giant kernel corn" or "cous cous" but the ears are only 12 inches long .

  • linu5
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Where did you get the Jala information?

    What is most important to answering this question is knowing the town near which this Chilean maize grew. The widest ear of chile is Choclero, and the longest ear is Cristalino Norteno. Thirdly, seed could be obtained from:

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/swish/accboth?query=choclero+mays&sort=swishrank&si=0&.cgifields=si&.cgifields=reverse

  • farmfreedom
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    As to Jala valley corn having 3 foot ears I got that from : the "World Book Encyclopedia 1956" and other encyclopedias, and "WRIGGLES FUN FACTS 1972 OR 1973 " WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN THE Boston globes sunday comic section at the bottom of the first page . The internet and other breeders hve told me that there has been gene contamination from introduced strains endangering the 18 strains of "Jala Valley Landrace". It is hard to grow an ear over 18 inches at this time .

  • linu5
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The Chilean ear data came from "Races of Maize in Chile, Timothy"

  • farmfreedom
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Check this member out for one: Posted by brian_ny_nj_pa zone 5/6 NY/NJ/ you will find him on the other corn postings here on the giants forum.
    Also on the internet I found a study by the University of Michigan on genetic contamination of the 16 or 18 strains of "Jala valley corn" . Do a search on google for "Jala valley corn" and see what you get .

  • Brian_NY_NJ_PA
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wesserma,

    One point I would like to bring up about the USDA. When you fill out your form to obtain the seed, I recommend you list an Organization. If you put 'Wesserma Seeds' (or something like that) you won't ever get hassled. You also need to fill out the the section for intended use. Just say something using the words 'breeding' or 'research' and you are golden. Otherwise they will send you a one time only order. You'll get a letter saying it's a one time offer to gardeners. If you do it like I said, then you can get as many orders as you want. Of course, you only order one accession once, and not many times. You need to save the seed from the accessions you obtain. You can make multiple orders to get different accessions.

    In my expert opinion, some of the tropical corn varieties are hard to save seed unless you jump through hoops. What I recommend you do; so you are not dependent on tropical corn pimps hustling their proprietary tallest corn, is to find your self some very large temperate varieties and cross it with your tropicals. Once you can get consistent ears on your plants, then you can do selecting for taller ones. R.H Shumway has one called Goliath Silage. The current Iowa State Fair champ used Goliath to get a 18'4" plant.
    https://www.rhshumway.com/shumsite/shumsiteviewproduct.aspx?ProductID=16954

    USDA also has some nice sized temperate corn

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1026853
    Local name: White Dent.
    Native white dent with over 30 years of culture on the Sallee and Singer farm.
    GROWTH PLTHEIGHT 530
    MORPHOLOGY EARHEIGHT 115
    TAXONOMIC PRIMRACE corn belt dent

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=Ames+22133
    Ames 22133
    Unverified name: Imperial White.
    Narrative
    Grain: Medium size grain, white dent. Medium hard texture. Plants: Tall (about 15-17 feet) with high ears (some 8 to 9 feet). White open-pollinate maize variety called "Imperial White" Grown By Tom Lemoine near New Rhodes, Louisiana for over 50 years. The original seed was passed on to him from his father. Medium size grain, white dent. Tom Lemoine uses some ears for fresh roasting a "good eating corn". Collected late June 1994.

    There are many intersting tropicals on USDA besides Jala
    -----------------------------------------------------
    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1333879
    Local name: Olotillo blanco.
    Value: TALL-PLANT-EXTREME_YES
    Qualifier: INSTANCE_001. - First miscellaneous observation made under this environment. Comment: J. Hanneman, Michigan, APR 1999. 6.94 meters (22.8 ft.).

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1374062
    Other or unclassified name: Trinidad 12.
    Value: TALL-PLANT-EXTREME_YES
    Qualifier: INSTANCE_001. - First miscellaneous observation made under this environment. Comment: J. Hanneman, Michigan, APR 1999. 5.76 meters (18.9 ft.).

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1373836
    PI 478900 mays
    one of tallest accessions in cimmyt database on singer
    Other or unclassified name: San Luis Potosi 107.
    Collected in: Mexico

    besides corn, you can get some other large plants from the USDA

    -----------------------------------------------------
    Teosinte

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1087292
    Zea nicaraguensis
    Dense 1 ha stand, 3-5 meters tall, once ubiquitous, now very rare in region

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1336870
    Zea mays subsp. huehuetenangensis
    *my notes* grows 5 meters in native environment. Someone in SE USA grew one to 18 ft.

    -----------------------------------------------------

    Sunflowers

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1327441
    Collected in: Arizona, United States
    Sand dune dooryard garden. Plants to 5m tall, some multi-headed. Achenes striped. Introduced cultivar.

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1080519
    Collected in: Nebraska, United States
    Seed collected from 28 plants. Population scattered along disturbed area of the roadside ditch, in channel. Plants extremely tall, some 4 to 5 m, branching equally up and down the stem, looking uniformly spaced. Heads as large as we have seen, but definately are still wild. Seed set good, some insect damage to head (Suleima) no apparent rust.

    -----------------------------------------------------
    Pearl Millet

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1456591
    Plants flower 64 to 68 days after planting. Plants average 4.4 and 3.2 feet tall, planted June 13 and July 18, respectively. Seeds brownish-gray in color.

    ttp://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1484057
    Strongly photoperiod sensitive, takes about 90 d to flower and 130 d to maturity for mid-June planting. Plant height about 3.3m, ear head length 31 to 37cm, candle shaped, globular light gray grain (9-11 g 1000 seed-1) with a vitreous endosperm.

    -----------------------------------------------------
    Amaranth

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1448048
    Amaranthus australis
    Local name: Giant Amaranth.
    Collected in: Florida, United States
    Large plants, up to 485 cm tall. Basal circumference 24 to 56 cm. The stems are hollow, with stem walls 1.5 cm thick, purple-red or green. If water level is high, roots grow out of the stem. Plants dioecious, still in flower at collection time. Low water level during germination is said to favor establishment. Frosts in October are said to kill the plants yearly.
    GROWTH PLNTHEIGHT 330.00
    Value: Tall growing
    Sample size: 26. Comment: row 128 An individual plant grew to 453 cm (15 ft 1 inch) measured and was accepted as the Guinness World's Record Tallest Amaranth. This accession grows unusually tall, but other A. australis and A. cannabinus accessions are similar..
    *IMAGE* http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/nc7/accvoucher/Amaranthus/PI_500000-PI_599999/PI_553076/i/PI_553076_89ncao51_SD_PL_FL_2005-08-15_01.jpg

    -----------------------------------------------------
    Sorghum

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1245110
    Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
    Institute identifier: IS 11331.
    Collected in: Ethiopia (Comment: Collected Sept.-Nov., 1967)
    Plant 3.0 m high. Head open, lax, rachis retracted, crookneck; glumes two-thirds of seed, light tan, awned; seed small, white.
    GROWTH PLANTHGT 730.0 (*my note* ?? typo? )

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=329722
    Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
    Institute identifier: IS 11458.
    Collected in: Ethiopia (Comment: Collected Sept.-Nov., 1967)
    Plants 18 m tall. Heads open, lax, 230 cm long. Glumes nearly cover seed, awned. Seed brown light brown. This collection represents the variation in the field.
    PHENOLOGY FLOWERING photoperiod sensitive
    GROWTH PLANTHGT 450.0
    my image (all tall plants left of me - not in bloom) http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/sorghum14ft_10_13_06.JPG

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=482936
    Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
    Donor identifier: TGR 2015.
    Collected in: Zimbabwe (Comment: Received through IBPGR)
    Race Kafir/Guinea. Plants very tall.
    PHENOLOGY FLOWERING photoperiod sensitive
    PHENOLOGY PHOTOPER sensitive, few heads, no seed production
    my image (one plant on right - in bloom) http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/sorghum14ft_10_13_06.JPG

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1210101
    Unverified name: Galang Oualema.
    Collected in: Chad
    Plants grow to 5 meters high, mature in 5.5 months; panicles very long; glumes open; seeds crosswise, white, flat, without brown hulls, hard.

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1210102
    Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
    Unverified name: Mir N'da'.
    Collected in: Chad
    Plants grow to 5 meters high, mature in 5.5 months; panicles very long; glumes fully open; seeds crosswise, white, flat, without brown hulls, hard.

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1210121
    Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
    Unverified name: Mir.
    Collected in: Chad
    Plants grow to 5 meters high, mature in 5 months; stalks slender; panicles long, lax; seeds transverse, red, starchy, with brown hulls.

    http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1244782
    Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.) Stapf POACEAE
    Institute identifier: IS 11010.
    Collected in: Ethiopia (Comment: Seed collected Sept. - Nov., 1967)
    Plants 9 m high.
    PHENOLOGY PHOTOPER very insensitive, headed out, seed produced

    -----------------------------------------------------

    There are many more than just this, but it should give you a good start.

  • farmfreedom
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    No one is "pimping " the giant seed corn ! I make it available for $3 per pound plus shipping because the usda will not send it to Mass. It takes a full six months to maturity . So be fore warned .

  • Brian_NY_NJ_PA
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Farmfreedom,

    It's not you that I was talking about. I've received seeds from you before. In fact, you've been very helpful to me. I appreciate you sending me seeds and letting me know what you sent me.
    What I'm talking about certain individuals who go around just calling their corn "tallest corn" and not letting anyone know what race of corn it is in fear that someone else might get their own and not depend on them for the corn anymore. That is what I meant by a "corn pimp".

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