Relation Between Amylose Content of Pollen and Kernels of Corn

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Cary Rivard
Dr. Mark Campbell, Faculty Mentor, 2000.

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Corn (Zea mays) is often used for its amylose inside the kernel endosperm, which is used to make biodegradable plastics and other industrial products. Currently, many researchers are making an effort to isolate varieties of corn with starch possessing high levels of amylose. Because this valuable resource comes from within the kernel, the varieties must be harvested before they are tested which results in a long turnaround time. One of the ways to test for amylose is by dissolving the ground kernel into an iodine-DMSO solution and performing a colorometric assay on the solution. For this study, eight varieties of corn will be grown with known amylose values and the pollen will be tested using the same method in order to observe any correlation between the two methods. If successful, this method could become a more rapid means of determining amylose content of corn varieties in the future.