Sweet Corn

Sweet corn is separated into different gene classes that refers to the sugar content of the kernels. Old standard type or ‘single sweet’s’ (SU) have lowest sugar content. ‘sugar enhanced’ (SE) types have better sweetness but the real revolution came up in the second half of the 1900’s. ‘super sweet’ (sH2) were entering the markets starting in the US in the 1980’s. The super sweets – also called shrunken 2 type – produce notably higher sugar contents by 4 to 10 time higher than SU corn. Furthermore the sugar-to-starch conversion is by far slower and enables growers to extend harvest window. Retailer benefit from that trait because they can ship and store longer.

agro-TIP is convinced of super sweet / sH2 types and mainly offers varieties of this gene class. Still super sweets are not accepted in all the places but history shows that the convincing properties of high sugar production and extremely long shelf life will dominate on long term.