Name:______Date:______Per:______
5.5- Hybridizing Corn
Directions: Looking at the corn cards, decide what two corn varieties you will breed to a plant with the desired traits.
- An organic food company is developing a new corn tortilla chip, “Hippie Crisps.” The company wants a variety of corn that can be ground into flour. The company refuses to use any herbicides or genetic modification. Thecompany wants a variety of corn that is as natural as possible.
Parent 1 / Parent 2
Breed
Reasons for corn choice
Type of selection pattern (circle one): HybridizationInbreeding
- To help starving people in Africa, the government is trying to develop a variety of corn that is very high in starch, matures quickly, and can be stored for long periods of time and is resistant to pests.
Parent 1 / Parent 2
Breed
Reasons for corn choice
Type of selection pattern (circle one): HybridizationInbreeding
- There is a recent outbreak of a fungus called “corn smut” which infects the kernels of corn that has weak seed coats. Coca-cola is concerned that the corn smut out break will reduce their supply of corn syrup. Develop a variety of corn that can produce corn syrup, yet has seed coats strong enough to resist the corn smut infection.
Parent 1 / Parent 2
Breed
Reasons for corn choice
Type of selection pattern (circle one): HybridizationInbreeding
- Orville & Redenbacher are developing a flower of popcorn that is going to be naturally sweet. This new variety of corn should have a high sugar content and be able to “pop.” Since the corn is “naturally sweet” the corn needs to be resistant to pests.
Parent 1 / Parent 2
Breed
Reasons for corn choice
Second Generation
Breed / Hybrid from first generation
Reasons for corn choice / Traits of first generation
Explain what the resulting corn should look like:
Subtle traits (from first generation):
Dominant traits (from second generation):
- A farmer developed a new breed of miniature donkeys. However the donkeys’ mouthsare too small to eat regular flint corn. Develop a variety of corn that produces small ears of corn low to the ground so that the donkeys can eat it. Donkeys like their corn to have a high starch content.
Parent 1 / Parent 2
Breed
Reasons for corn choice
Second Generation
Breed / Hybrid from first generation
Reasons for corn choice / Traits of first generation
Explain what the resulting corn should look like:
Subtle traits (from first generation):
Dominant traits (from second generation):