Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 34

Page 12 Decatur, Illinois, Saturday, October 9, 1882 Keeping eye oini ears pcays off i.f By JIM LUDWICK Htrild Rtvfew FrmBusins Writer No one should understand better than Robert Bear that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes, so is utility. In the late 1940s, in Central Illinois, the right man looked at the right ear of corn and saw something many people wouldn't have even noticed the corn didn't look quite the same as other ears from the same field. It turned out to have an abnormally high content of amylose starch. The result was the production of amylonuh ::3 ize, now used in the candy industry in the pro duction of orange slices, jelly drops and other semi-solid candy.

It also has been used to coat food, as an edible replacement for cellophane. Astronauts have eaten bite-sized food coated with amylomaize film, and experiments have been done on preserving apples "This was a single plant, a single; ear. The original mutation occurred on a single Bear recalls. "We had observed, about ears. This one happened to be a tittle differ-ent." ti vffiWf4 I I- ft ft i Package protection for farms and riome Outbuildings Livestock Liability Theft See for Your Pcnn-Ranch Package Policy Over the years, Bear Hybrids has discovered gold in cornfields.

It wasn't the first ime Bear -Hybrid Corn Co. Inc. discovered gold in a cornfield. 1938, Bear reported finding waxy a nearly imperceptible mutation he estimated would occur one time in every 30,000. His estimate was originally; challenged, but was vindicated.

-v Waxy maize bad been known before his During the war, the government saw a need for the amylopectin starch for industrial uses, as a replacement of the tapioca starch. A crash program was begun in an attempt to develop a hybrid corn. Meanwhile, Bear Hybrid saw indications that there might be a post-war market for the product "Bear Hybrids has been a company that has always been deeply involved in corn research. We specialize entirely in corn. This' mutation.

VV Today, Bear Hybrid no longer owns its former lines of waxy corn and high-amylose corn. And as of a few months ago, the Bear family no longer owns toe cortpany, although Bear is continuing as a consultant and adviser. Its work today primarily, involves white corn, processed by dry millers for use in grits, cereals and white corn flour. The company also is continuing to work with regular corn, seeking kinds that will yield more, stand bet- started with my dad, in 1925, in what were the olden days of hybrid corn," Bear said. "The findings.

It had been found in an isolated. valley in China; and later reported from Argentina and Connecticut. But its origin was a mystery, and Bear's discovery led the way to the development ol waxy maize hybrids. In waxy maize, there is an abnormally high content of amylopectin! starch 100 percent, result, of course, -was the development and resist disease. hybrid corn as we know tt tcy -7 are some very intriguing possibili-Dunng the development of waxy niaizeaiKl the white cornfield, that we think Hybrid maintained what are attractive." Bear said.

"We're probably Bear called "rather simple i facUttiesThe the largestbreeders of white waxy corn in the MIKE TISH HM. hums world. We don't want to get known Just for white waxy, but it happens to be one of the areas where we're doing more than anybody U5. Department of Agriculture laboratory in Peoriaduring the development of amyloma Phone 428-8070 or 864-5242 DEBBIE DRIVE, ize. MT.

ZI0N.IL compared to a normal Robert Boar Development of hybrids like amylomaize takes the cooperation of geneticists and chem-'. ists, and would be difficult or impossible for one person to do alone. Bear said. It also AMERICAN FAMILY content of 75 percent It can be used, in glues, instant puddings, pie fillings and snack foods Bear's discovery was well timed, because the nrnriilt fviiilfl ronlara tviuira etariih fmm tlui "We're continually testing. We're-testing at between 30 and 40,000 plants per acre.

We want to know what hybrids will produce at higher levels. Not that we're going to plant them at higher levels, but if they produce at higher levels they can be used at lower levels and will withstand, greater stresses. if takes good eye for subtle differences in the mito mm tusmtss hiaith urr Amefican Family Mutual Insurance Co Dutch East Indies, occupied by the Japanese 1 appearance of corn, to avoid missing the one iwaaison. wts during World War II. llHlertz farm Management PROFESSIONAL FARM MANAGEMENT FOR THE FARM OF TODAY it 1 Farm Management Farm Real Estate Farm Appraisals Farm Consulting' KhWhe'n you LANDOLL Soil-Master protects your valuable soil! A primary tillage tool for modern farmers.

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