Corn Commentary

Raising Midwestern Cane

With all the cane that is being raised about corn ethanol, here is a potential solution that hopefully won’t fall on deaf ears.

It could be called “earless corn” or “Midwestern sugarcane” - but it is really tropical maize, the type of corn typically grown in hot, humid regions. Researchers at the University of Illinois have discovered that when it is grown in the Midwest “the long summer days delay flowering, which causes the plant to grow very tall and produce few or no ears.” With no ears, the corn stalk builds up sugar, making it like sugarcane.

According to University of Illinois crop scientist Fred Below, “Midwestern-grown tropical maize easily grows 14 or 15 feet tall compared to the 7-1/2 feet height that is average for conventional hybrid corn. It’s all in these tall stalks.” Below explains. “In our early trials, we are finding that these plants build up to a level of 25 percent or higher of sugar in their stalks.”

The tall stalks of tropical maize are so full of sugar that producers growing it for biofuel production could potentially supply a raw material at least one step closer to being turned into fuel than are ears of corn - no cellulosic technology needed.

That’s one good thing. Another really beneficial characteristic of tropical maize is that it requires much less nitrogen fertilizer than conventional corn, because it has no ears.

Finally, the researchers say it would also be easier for Midwest farmers to grow tropical maize as opposed to some other dedicated energy crop because it could be easily rotated with corn or soybeans, and can be planted, cultivated and harvested with the same equipment U.S. farmers already have.

Sounds amaizing!