Amy Simonne, Eric Simonne, Jim Pitts, and Gary Gray

THE SWEETNESS, TEXTURE, AND AROMA of sweet corn, along with its high yield and desirable grain color, makes this a $2.7 million crop in Alabama. For almost 20 years, the most popular sweet corn variety has been the white cultivar Silver Queen. However, results of a recent AAES study indicate that Silver Queen may no longer be the reigning monarch of sweet corn varieties.

Sweet corn connoisseurs prefer Silver Queen and claim they can identify its typical flavor. An AAES study was conducted to determine if Silver Queen is actually recognized for its own attributes or if it benefits primarily from name recognition. A taste-testing panel in this study rated six sweet com varieties as superior to Silver Queen, and only a few tasters could properly identify this popular variety. Silver Queen is a traditional sugary (su) sweet corn variety. Varieties that challenged Silver Queen in this study were hybrid sugar-enhanced (se) or supersweet (sh2) sweet corn cultivars.

Sucrose (sugar) content, which is genetically controlled, is the most important sensory attribute of sweet corn. At harvest, sugar concentration in su sweet corn is 5-15%; se, 8-20%; and sh2, 25-40%. After harvest, the sugar in kernels of su varieties is rapidly converted to starch, but this conversion occurs more slowly in sh2 varieties. The characteristic creamy texture of sweet corn is due to the accumulation of watersoluble polysaccharides. Silver Queen and other traditional su sweet corn varieties have more polysaccharides than the hybrid varieties. Aroma, which is not as easily defined as sweetness or texture, is most often associated with dimethyl sulfide, a compound that provides a pleasing corn-like characteristic.

Cooked ears from the sweet corn variety trial conducted at the Chilton Area Horticulture Substation in Clanton were served to a panel of tasters. A total of nine varieties were evaluated, but each panelist was asked to rate a selection of only five cultivars. Each five-sample set included Silver Queen, along with four other varieties. Samples were identified only by random three-digit numbers. The panel was comprised mainly of growers, gardeners, and retirees; 67 completed answer sheets were used for statistical analysis.

Ratings of appearance, sweetness, flavor, and overall preference were significantly affected by variety (see table). However, most of the selected cultivars received acceptable ratings. The appearance of Silverado and Even Sweeter ears was rated highest, while Fantasia and Snow White were rated lowest. Sweetness was found the highest in SS 7801, Treasure, and Even Sweeter. The sweetness rating of Snow White was the closest to being undesirable. Flavor ratings were highest for Starshine and lowest for Snow Belle. Treasure and Silverado received the highest scores for overall preference. Overall, Treasure was ranked first, Even Sweeter and Silverado tied for second, and SS 7801 was ranked fourth. Three of these four top-rated cultivars are supersweet varieties. Silver Queen was ranked seventh out of nine in overall preference.

Panelists were asked to identify Silver Queen among the five corn samples they tasted. Thirty percent of the panelists properly identified Silver Queen, 58% could not identify it, and 12% did not give any answer. Since each panelist was presented five varieties, the odds of correctly choosing Silver Queen at random were 20%. Therefore, only a small fraction of the panel recognized Silver Queen.

Panelists also were asked to list all the sweet corn variety names they could remember. Of 67 responses, 34% did not name any sweet corn variety. The most commonly named varieties were Silver Queen (by 61% of
the responding panelists), Golden Queen (10%), and Bantam (5%). These results illustrate the popularity of Silver Queen.

Results of this first year of an ongoing study emphasize the importance of cultivar selection in the production of sweet corn. Sugar levels in sweet corn kernels are genetically controlled, thus variety choice is critical. Rankings from this study should be used in conjunction with yield performance and disease resistance before selecting which white sweet corn to plant.

Amy and Eric Simonne are Post-Doctoral Fellows in Nutrition and Food Science and Horticulture, respectively. Jim Pitts is Superintendent of the Chilton Area Horticulture Substation. Gary Gray is an Assistant County Agent in Chilton County.