Stephen Smith

Mexico 

 

Considered the point of origin for corn, Mexico has numerous types of corn that are also diverse. Teosinte, which is native to Mexico and parts of Central America, is a very tall and wild grass that was domesticated by humans 9-10,000 years ago. The seeds are small, look like stones, and are very hard. The ears are only maybe an inch long and generally speaking it is a wonder they ever became the corn we have today! Through selection for larger ears and productivity we come to have the corn we do today. As corn devloped, it was spread down through Central America and into South America.

  Mexico maybe the home of corn, but many of the ancient landraces that are found there are very rare and almost extinct. These landraces from Mexico are usually some of the most well-behaved corns and are also often where many genes are taken from for our modern corn breeding.