초당옥수수의 수확기 분산을 위한 파종기에 따른 적정재식밀도를 규정하기 위하여 경북 경산에서 "Cambella 90"을 흑색 P E. film 피복하여 파종기 4월 1일, 5월 1일, 6월 1일, 재식밀도를 3,500, 4,500, 5,500, 6,500, 7,500주/10a 조건에서 파종하여 생육과 이삭특성 및 상품성 있는 이삭수를 조사한 결과를 하면 다음과 같다. 1. 출아율과 입묘율은 4월 1일 파종기에서 낮았고, 재식밀도 간에는 차이가 없었다. 간장과 착수고는 5월 1일 파종에서 가장 높았으며, 재식밀도가 높을수록 증가하였다. 2. 분얼수는 파종기가 빠를수록, 재식밀도가 낮을수록 증가하였다. 출사기는 파종기가 한 달씩 늦어질수록 각각 15 및 22일 지연되었고, 재식밀도 간에는 차이가 없었다. 3. Brix 당도는 5월 1일 파종기에서 가장 높았고, 재식밀도가 낮을수록 당도가 높았다. 4. 파종기가 늦을수록, 재식 밀도가 증가할수록 이삭장, 착립장, 이삭경, 이삭중이 모두 감소하였다. 착립장과 이삭중과는 정의 상관이 있었으나 파종기가 다를 때는 같은 착립장에서도 이삭중의 변이가 커서 이삭의 품질은 이삭중으로 나타내는 것이 타당하였다. 5. 초당옥수수의 적정 재식밀도는 중품(200~300g) 과 상품 (300 g)의 상품성 있는 이삭수를 4,000개/10a를 목표로 하여 4월 1일 파종에서는 낮은 출아율을 고려한 6,500~7,500주/10a , 5월 1일 파종에서는 5,500~6,500 주, 6월 1일 이후의 파종에서는 6,500주이었다.

In Korea, production of super sweet corn has been economically feasible and is substituting for traditional sweet corn due to better flavor in recent years. Major limiting factors for super sweet corn production are low field emergence and low seedling vigor. The optimum water potential (WP) for the priming of normal and aged seeds of dent, sweet (su) and super sweet (sh2) corns was studied to improve low seed quality. Seeds were primed at 0, -0.3, -0.6, -0.9, and -1.2 MPa of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000 solution at 15~circC for 2 days. Priming effects differed depending on the type of corn, seed quality, and WP of PEG solution. Although WP of priming solution did not influence the emergence rate of extremely high quality normal dent corn seeds, it reduced time to 50~% emergence (T50) and increased plumule weight. In contrast, the emergence rate of aged field corn was improved by seed priming at 0 MPa and plumule weight and α-amylase activity was enhanced. The optimum WP for both normal and aged sweet and super sweet corn seeds was between -0.3 and -0.6 Mpa. At the optimum WP emergence rate, α-amylase activity, and content of DNA and soluble protein increased, while T50 and leakage of total sugars and electrolytes reduced.

The production of sweet (su) and super sweet corns (sh2) has been economically feasible in Korea in recent years. Major factors limiting super sweet corn production are low germination and low seedling vigor. Since seed quality is closely related to seed maturity, the optimum harvest time for the seed production of sweet and super sweet corns was studied and the quality of seeds with varying maturities was investigated in 2001 and 2002 cropping seasons. The parents of the sweet corn seeds were Hybrid Early Sunglow and 'Golden Cross Bantam 70' and those of super sweet corn were Xtrasweet 82 and 'For­tune'. Seeds were harvested at 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56 days after silking (DAS). As the seeds developed, seed weight of sweet corn increased and the seed moisture content decreased faster than that of super sweet corn. Germination rates of sweet corn seeds harvested 21 and 28 DAS at 25~circC and emergence rates in the cold soil test were significantly lower than those of seeds harvested after 42 DAS in both years. Although the germination rates of super sweet corn seeds with varying maturities showed similar patterns as sweet corn seeds at 25~circC , the emergence rate of super sweet corn seeds in cold soil test continuously increased with seed maturity. This suggests that seed quality of super sweet corn should be tested in a cold soil test to estimate field emergence. As the seeds developed, leakage of total sugars and electrolytes from the both sweet and super sweet corn seeds decreased up to 42 or 49 DAS. The α-amylase activities of both sweet and super sweet corn seeds increased with seed maturity from 21 to 35 or 49 DAS depending on genotype and year. The optimum harvest time for the seed production of sweet corn was 42 DAS and 49 DAS for super sweet corn considering emergence rate and plumule dry weight in the cold soil test, leakage of sugars and electrolytes from the seeds, and α-amylase activity.