English 5 – Jhosman Antonio Díaz Arroyo

CORN
1. Name the male part of the plant that contains hundreds of small flowers

R/ “The tassel” is the masculine part of the plant that contains on the top of a corn stalk hundreds
of small flowers that produce pollen, which is distributed by the silk of the strands, similar to a
wind thread.

2. Where was corn domesticated 10,000 12.000 years ago?

R/ Corn also known as maize is a cereal grain that was domesticated in “mesoamerica” as many as
10000 - 12000 years age.

3. How tall can one cornstalk grow?

R/ The corn plant has an average height of 1.2 to 3 m.

4. Name the breeding process that is used to improve characteristios of the plant.

R/ The process used to improve the characteristic character of the plant and increase its yield
receives in the name of hybridization.

5. What percentage of the world's corn is produced by the United States?

R/ Its harvest represent 18% of the world grain production, which is quantified in 3.037 million
tons

6. Name the county that leads the state in the production of non-human consumption of corn.

R/ The name of country that leads the state in the production of non-human consumption of corn
is United State.

7. Name the four elements of com.

R/ The four elements of corn are: starch, protein, oil and fiber.

8. Name an alternative fuel that is derived from corn.

R/ Ethanol
The current technology of ethanol production in enzymes to convert the starch present in corn
grains into simple sugars. Simple sugars are fermented producing ethanol.

9. Why is Corn important in our region?

R/ The importance of corn in our region is that this cereal has become the basis not only of the
culture, but also of the food sovereignty of the indigenous and peasant populations. Despite the
extremely limited conditions in which corn is grown by small producers, paradoxically it is they
who together supply the largest volume of production in the Caribbean region.

10. How do farmers in our region plant Corn?

R/ In Colombia, two production systems can be differentiated: the technified system and the
traditional system, although the combination of them is frequent (Quintero 1999):

· The technified system refers to monocultures of more than five hectares. It develops on flat
terrains, of good fertility and water availability; uses technologies based on mechanization for soil
preparation and planting, the use of improved seeds, fertilizers and chemical pesticides.

· The traditional system is advanced in many regions of the country where the peasant economy
predominates. In general, it is carried out in soils with low fertility, in smallholdings smaller than
five hectares. It is usually carried out with own capital but in some cases extrabanking credits are
used. Credit in kind is frequent through the provision of basic goods to be paid with the harvest. In
general, the cultivation of corn is based on the use of a wide variety of landraces and the limited
use of hybrids. The workforce is familiar, the degree of mechanization is very low, as is the use of
chemical inputs. The preparation of the ground is minimal, it is done by plowing with oxen and hoe
and is planted with a pike. In cold areas it is usually sown in association with beans, potatoes,
beans and peas, using wheat and potatoes as a rotation crop, while in warm areas it is associated
with cassava, coffee, cocoa, plantain and beans. The yields of traditional production are not high,
in large part, because the land used for this is generally poor soils and, in many cases, the seeds
suitable for these conditions are not used.