MAIZE
Maize is a
cereal crop cultivated in many parts of the world. It has yellow seeds which is eaten as food. It
can be for subsistence or commercial farming. In some parts of the world it is
called corn. Maize (Zea mays) is originated from Central America over seven thousand
(7,000) years ago. The Portuguese traders introduced maize to Africa in the
16th century and it has became a good commodity traded in African countries. Maize
is an amazing crop that can be eaten when boiled or roasted, this is common to
some countries in west Africa like Nigeria Ghana and more. It is a tall cereal
annual plant that grows in a sunny area where can rains. Maize is very easy to
farm, as it can take two to three months from seed planting to harvesting.
TYPES OF MAIZE
·
DENT OR FIELD MAIZE: This type of corn has a high starch
content. It is the most highly grown type of maize in the world.it is a food
for animal feeding, ethanol production, human consumption, etc.
·
Ornamental maize: This type of maize is grown for
decorations because of its coloful kernels. It is not
commonly consumed.
·
Popcorn: This the type of maize that is used
in making popcorns. It pops when heated and it is the only corn that pops when
heated.
·
Sweet maize: This is the type of maize that is
harvested immature and the kernels very soft. It is eaten when roasted, boiled
or grilled.
·
Flint maize: this the type of corn that has a hard outer
layer which is used for making tortillas, tamales, traditional meals, etc. The
hard outer layer protects the soft endosperm and it is a healthy nutrition.
Uses of maize
Maize is
good cereal crop that have a lot of uses. It is used in industries and homes to
make food and many things. In many cultures corn is used as a symbol of
fertility.
Maize serves
as a food to humans and it is a stable food in many countries in the world. It
can be consumed when roasted, boiled or grilled, many people do eat it with
cocoanut, pear, with beans etc. it is also made into a variety of dishes like
tamales, tortillas and polenta.
Maize is a
good and sources of animal feed for poultry and livestock. The corn straws serve
as animal feed too especially in west African countries, the herdsmen do feed
their cattle with the straws and leaves of maize.
The industries
use maize more than humans. It is used in many industrial areas to produce
things of important like textiles, paper, toothpaste, etc. these are gotten
from maize starch, oil and other derivatives of maize. It helps in economic
growth of a country and provide employment opportunities not only farmers. In
production of ethanol, maize is used to produce ethanol for vehicles.
Maize has a
lot of health benefits to man. It is a good source of fibre, carbohydrates and
many essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Maize is a
major sources of calories.