Agricultural Development

• Although taxonomists classify teosinte as more closely related to rice than our modern-day corn, scientists believe that teosinte was the original plant cultivated by native Americans. Through selective breeding, the seeds of the teosinte plant became bigger, and the casing more thoroughly enclosed the seeds to prevent them from falling to the ground and making harvesting more difficult.
  
  

Botanical Formation

• Corn seeds form when the female corn flower is pollinated by the male terminal tassel. They develop enclosed in a papery husk lined with the female tassel strands.
  
  

Components

• Corn seeds consist of an outer coat, the endosperm and the embryo. The outer coat has two layers: the outer pericarp and inner testa. The endosperm makes up most of the total volume of the seed, and provides the necessary starch to feed the sprouted embryo. The embryo is the grain germ and in a new plant, forms the sprout root.
  
  

Consumption

• Corn is grown specifically for the use of its seeds. The three main categories of corn seeds are grain corn, sweet corn and popcorn. Grain corn seeds are allowed to dry, husked and milled to make cornmeal and silage. Sweet corn seeds are eaten fresh. Popcorn seeds are dried and popped before eaten. Seventy-five percent of all corn seeds grown in the U.S. are fed to livestock.
  
  

Genetically Modified

• Genetically modified, or GMO, seeds are seeds that have been altered through genetic engineering to exhibit particular characteristics. They are a very controversial product. Some GMO corn seeds are terminator seeds, meaning they cannot produce fertile seeds. Instead new seed must be purchased from the seed company each season. They have been banned for use in several countries and have been charged with leading to the loss of heirloom seed varieties. Others argue that GMO seeds are the way of the future and will save our planet from starvation.