Resource potential of the corn collection of N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources as a source of amylopectin starch
Starch production in Russia is 80 % provided with corn grain. Corn starch is 75-80 % composed of amylopectin and only 20-25 % of amylose. The waxy corn grain contains 100 % amylopectin starch. Domestic selection does not provide the commodity market with high-yielding waxy corn hybrids due to the lacking various genetic sources of wx genes. The corn collection of N.I.Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources has more than 70 sources of local varieties and self-pollinated waxy corn lines homozygous with wx gene. The selection value and combining ability of the lines were investigated to identify high-yielding corn hybrids of the highest potential for obtaining of amylopectin starch from 1 hectare. Hybrid combinations are also created along the diallel scheme of crosses. The experimental hybrid combinations are characterized by a variety of quantitative and qualitative characteristics, including the content of starch in the grain and the amylopectin content from 1 hectare. As a result, some promising high-yield hybrid combinations with a potential for obtaining amylopectin up to 5-7 t/ha, exceeding the standard by 4-5 t/ha, are identified. Hybrid combinations for high grain yields and amylopectin collection from 1 hectare, are also identified as having an increased content of oil and protein in their grain. The introduction of high-yield waxy corn hybrids in production is to provide cheap domestic raw materials to produce high-quality starch in Russia and to avoid the import of expensive raw materials along with reducing the cost of products and providing the production of marketable items in medicine, food and chemical industry as well as other industries, production of bioethanol and concentrated feeds with amylopectin starch and its modifications