Breeding Prospects of Waxy Maize

The starch of waxy maize is considered to be of good quality for many industrial uses. Due to the presence of waxy gene (wx) in the homozygous recessive form, waxy maize produces the waxy starch in the endosperm tissue. The waxy starch is better than normal starch for translucency, lack of retrogradation, flavourless and a longer and cohesive paste. Waxy maize lacked the straight chain component of the starch amylose and is entirely of the branched chain component; amylopectin, due to devoid of an enzyme transferase responsible for the conversion of amylopectin to amylose. The waxy and non waxy seeds and pollen grains can be distinguished by means of iodine test. The gene for waxy seeds and pollen grains can be distinguished by means of iodine test. The gene for waxy endosperm can be transferred to an improved inbred line having ordinary starch by using simple backcross method. The hard wax like appearance of the waxy endosperm can help in direct selection. Processing industries have started using waxy maize in making adhesives, gums, papers, puddings and recently for developing environment friendly plastics which have many uses in electronics and information technology sector. Experimental hybrids of waxy maize have been developed at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and two hybrids have given good performance. Further evaluation in in progress.