IICA Canada 55d ago

This webinar with corn experts from Mexico, US and Canada featured corn in breeding, farming, and the status of corn genetic resources ex situ and in situ. Maize has its primary Centre of origin in Mexico from where its cultivation spread to many parts of North and South America. After 1492 it spread quickly to the rest of the world. Due to modern plant breeding, its cultivation now extends from tropical to temperate climates. Besides food, it is widely used as feed and for industrial purposes. It is the genetic diversity of corn that allows for this wide range of uses in very different climate zones all over the world. This webinar presented examples of conservation and use of corn genetic diversity. The objective was to assess the status and to highlight future perspectives for the genetic diversity of this versatile plant.