[Image: corn]In the summers of 2002 and 2003, LSU AgCenter's Dr. James Boudreaux tested 14 sugar-enhanced (se) and 11 supersweet (sh2) corn cultivars. They were evaluated for their large ears (about 8") and husk cover. Many cultivars are bred to make a smaller 7½-inch by 1 3/4-inch ear so they can be packed to fit 54 ears in a wire-bound wooden crate.
Precious Gem was the top enhanced bicolor sporting 8- to 8½ -nch well-covered ears. Accord and Friendship were two other se bicolors that did well at the Baton Rouge location. Their ear size, however, averaged 1/2 inch shorter.
Miracle was the top yellow enhanced cultivar in the test, producing 7 1/2- to 8-inch, fairly well-covered ears. Promise also did well, with 8- to 8 1/2-inch ears.
The top bicolor supersweets were ACX538 and ACX844 from Abbott and Cobb. They had 7 1/2-inch ears with good husk cover.
Top yellow supersweets were SS7640R followed by SS7210 and SS8100. This group developed larger ears in the 7 3/4- to 8 1/2-inch range. These three sh2 yellows also had good husk covers.
In general, Dr. Boudreaux found that the sh2 supersweets did not produce quite as large an ear as the sugar-enhanced cultivars. They also did not have as good a husk cover as the sugar-enhanced cultivars tested. All cultivars were medium or medium-late in maturity.
Other se cultivars that had good husks and approached 8 inches were Incredible, Lancelot and Honey Select.
Our 2008 currently recommended super sweets are: DAZZLE, HONEY'N PEARL, SUMMER SWEET 8101, 8102 or 7210, PRIME PLUS, BIG TIME and CRISP'N SWEET.
Our 2008 currently recommended enhanced sweets are: PLATINUM LADY LANCELOT, PRECIOUS GEM, SWEET ICE, ARGENT, SNOWBELLE, BODACIOUS, INCREDIBLE, SWEET CHORUS, SWEET RHYTHM, HONEY SELECT.
List of cultivars tested:
|
Ambrosia |
ACX538 |
|
Accord |
ACX724BC |
|
Friendship |
ACX844 |
|
Honey Select |
ACX95CN232 |
|
Incredible |
PX9381178 |
|
Lancelot |
SS 600 |
|
Merlin |
SS 7100 R |
|
Miracle |
SS 7210 |
|
Mystique |
SS 7640 R |
|
Precious Gem |
SS 8100 |
|
Promise |
SS 8102 BC |
|
Rapport |
Obsession |
|
Tablemaster |
Prime Plus |
|
Tuxedo |
|