Multimedia Gallery - Cultivated corn was domesticated from teosinte more than 6,000 years ago.

June 2, 2005

Cultivated corn was domesticated from teosinte more than 6,000 years ago.

Cultivated corn was domesticated from teosinte more than 6,000 years ago. During the process, corn lost the ability to survive in the wild, but gained valuable agricultural traits. The suppression of branching from the stalk resulted in a lower number of ears per plant but allows each ear to grow larger. The hard case around the kernel disappeared over time. Today, we see just a few ears of corn growing on one unbranched stalk and enjoy larger ears covered with many, many rows of soft corn kernels.

Credit: Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation

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