|
Post by steev on Oct 20, 2011 14:19:40 GMT -5
Anybody know anything about varieties and/or seed availability of QPM?
|
|
|
Post by DarJones on Oct 20, 2011 18:51:51 GMT -5
When the first high lysine varieties of corn were released back in the late 1970's, they had a serious flaw. The kernels were so soft that they were damaged in harvest and handling. Breeding efforts were concentrated into finding genetics that would form more hard starch in the kernel without disrupting the increased lysine. The breeding lines are referred to as QPM. There are several online articles about it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_Protein_MaizeDarJones
|
|
|
Post by steev on Oct 20, 2011 20:08:59 GMT -5
Thanks, I'd read the wiki, but found no info pertaining to my question. So I checked GRIN.
The lack of named varieties coupled with the states where it appears to be grown certainly does lead me to believe it's generally considered critter chow. Interesting, anyway; I'm pretty omnivorous, although aware there really are some things fit fodder for neither man nor beast.
So, another entry on my idle curiosity project list.
|
|
|
Post by DarJones on Oct 21, 2011 0:25:01 GMT -5
QPM has been on my radar screen for just over a year. It is intended for humans to eat it but has similar benefits as animal feed because of the increased protein content. From what I can see, it would be an excellent opportunity to cross into some of the heirloom varieties like Cherokee Squaw. Remember that most of the QPM work was based on tropical varieties. Quite a bit of effort would be required to move the trait over into temperate adapted varieties.
DarJones
|
|
|
Post by steev on Oct 21, 2011 2:11:57 GMT -5
True, but it makes a difference whether I ask GRIN for Quality Protein Maize or QPM (fewer citations). There seems to have been a lot of work done in Minnesota. I think the work done on tropical varieties is reflective of the needs of the people in those areas, having a relatively protein-deficient diet, whereas the temperate varieties may be targeted more to the protein needs of critters like poultry, to supply the relatively protein-rich temperate diet of Minnesota, Iowa, Arkansas, Texas, et al.
Anyway, it looks interesting to me, since protein seems such a dietary choke-point. Being able to eat more corn and less critter looks easier to me, more efficient and less burdensome to the ecosystem. I'll be interested to see how hungry and thirsty these QPM are.
|
|
|
Post by DarJones on Oct 21, 2011 22:03:24 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by steev on Oct 22, 2011 1:00:35 GMT -5
Right, but as with Einkorn, I think more protein is worth the reduction in quantity of carbs. Better use of storage, better nutrient delivery ( either we or critters will only eat so much volume ), less harvest burden on animal protein sources. I think current obesity trends make it pretty clear that carbs are very cheap and available.
|
|
|
Post by zachary on Oct 25, 2011 20:39:32 GMT -5
Steev, the Echo site has this listing: "Quality Protein Maize: Higher in the amino acid lysine than other maize varieties. Must be grown in isolation to maintain high protein content." www.echonet.org/content/SeedBank/542I jumped through the hoops to sign up, but it turns out you've got to be a missionary type to get the QPM seed. Ditto for the "Giza 114" sorghum I wanted. Well, I don't know anybody in the tropical regions, so Echo is a dead end for me. Regarding the seeds available from the US seed bank, I may get sample of them. What bothers me is that I have no way of knowing if MY harvested crop is high in lysine/methionine or not. Has anybody ever heard of any simple home tests for evaluating the grain?
|
|
|
Post by Alan on Oct 25, 2011 23:14:36 GMT -5
I can't find the link on hand right now, but the Chineese are far ahead of the rest of the world on QPM and seed is available at a consumer level. Most of those varieties (some of which are segregating in Amanda Palmer) are bright orange kernel varieties that from the outside look similar to a 16 row small kenel flint variety but remain soft. One issue I have noticed with their production is the same issue that I have with Waxy corn........mold.
|
|
|
Post by steev on Oct 25, 2011 23:59:40 GMT -5
I would suppose the insistence on isolation is the usual avoidance of crossing, with common corn dominating the QPM expression.
If you eat your harvest as your major source of protein and get no pellagra or kwashiorkor, it's high in lysine/methionine.
Ironically, I ended my sentence as a chemist being master/slave to an out-dated amino-acid analysis chromatography apparatus. When I bailed, I believe it was one of two such still in use in North America, if not the very last. Not having trained a replacement, my leaving may have resulted in the extinction of its kind. Technology marches on.
I might not have mold problems; my farm is pretty arid and there is normally little or no rain May through October.
|
|
|
Post by 12540dumont on Oct 26, 2011 12:13:18 GMT -5
What's happened to Canada Mike and his high protein corn?
|
|
|
Post by steev on Oct 26, 2011 16:06:28 GMT -5
Was that a rock band?
|
|
|
Post by turtleheart on Oct 26, 2011 16:43:18 GMT -5
i have high protein corn. i call it beans.
|
|
|
Post by zachary on Jan 21, 2012 12:10:40 GMT -5
Anybody know anything about varieties and/or seed availability of QPM? I've been making every kind of google search I can think of looking for a supplier for the QPM corns. In particular, an OP white variety. IPB Var 6 is supposed to be an example, but nobody seems to offer it for sale to the US. In fact, I've found only one place - in Africa - which lists it at all, and I doubt if they could get it through US Customs even in the unlikely event they decided to try. So if anybody happens to discover somebody offering this or a similar white QPM, I'd appreciate their telling me.
|
|
|
Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jan 21, 2012 12:29:59 GMT -5
Customs employees are typical government bureaucrats -- inefficient and overwhelmed with work. I'm amazed that they ever manage to intercept any package of seeds. Their purpose is not to stop the import of seeds, it is to give people the impression that the import of seeds is being suppressed. (That way we'll buy from The Company.)
If I really wanted those seeds I'd order from the African company. If they get stolen by customs, I'd order again until a package gets through. After about 3 failures, I'd send them to a mail handling facility in some free country, and ask them to forward them on to me. Sure it adds to the cost of the seeds, but seeds are cheap compared to the benefit that might be gained by growing QPM.
Offer the African company an extra $10 for trying to send the seeds, and disavow in advance any liability for what customs does, and I bet they will gladly make the attempt.
|
|