The Korean Journal of Crop Science ISSN:0252-9777(Print) 2287-8432(Online) 한국작물학회지

Pericarp thickness of vegetable corns such as sweet and waxy corn is one of the crucial traits, contributing to their edible quality. This study was carried out to compare the pericarp thickness of super sweet and waxy corn hybrids measured with kernel samples prepared using different methods at different grain filling periods. The samples comprised excised pericarp from dried, frozen (at -4°C), and fresh kernels. Analysis of variance performed separately on super sweet and waxy corn hybrids indicated a significant three-way interaction among cultivars, kernel sample preparation methods, and days after pollination (DAP). Dried samples of super sweet corn hybrids presented reasonably stable pericarp thickness measurements during grain filling, while all the sample preparation methods fluctuated less as grains of waxy corn hybrids matured. Waxy corn is best consumed at around 24 days after pollination. Pericarp thickness of waxy kernel samples regardless of preparation methods investigated was the same at 24 DAP with a few exceptions. Overall, the common method of drying kernel samples before pericarp excision can provide reliable data for estimating the tenderness of vegetable corn hybrids.