abstract: Sweet corn is a valuable plant with universal application in the nourishment of man. An important aspect of sweet corn is the lack of gluten, which, in view of the increasing number of alimentary allergies, may have a significant effect on the level of its consumption. In turn, the growth of demand may result in an increase of the area of sweet corn cultivation. Climatic and soil requirements of sweet corn are such that most of the arable area of Poland provides favourable growing conditions, so its production is feasible all over the country.
At present, the production of sweet corn fully satisfies the demand of the market which is low due to the lack of consumer habits. The extent of sweet corn cultivation in Poland is determined not so much by economic factors and by the production capacity of farms, as by the market demand and the possibility of utilization of the crops produced. Other barriers restricting the production of sweet corn include the lack of a well organized and developed raw material market and insufficient development of the processing and cold storage industry.
In the monograph, the authors present the agrotechnical requirements of sweet corn cultivation and a characterization of cultivars available in the Polish market. Also discussed are the methods of corn cob harvesting and the technology of corn hob processing. The authors also present an analysis of the process of mechanical separation of kernels from cob cores and an assessment of the effectiveness of the plant production in Poland.
The cognitive objectives and experimental research presented in this work included the following:
- agricultural technology of sweet corn cultivation under the conditions of Polish agriculture,
- methods of sweet corn cob harvesting and processing with respect of material for direct consumption and for the processing industry,
- the effect of the mechanical properties of sweet corn kernels and cobs on the process of their cutting,
- analysis and estimation of the effectiveness of sweet corn production.
The volume of quality of the crop is determined by the selection of cultivars for specific local site conditions, optimum time of sowing, rational mineral fertilization, and the application of comprehensive protection against weeds, pests and diseases. Sweet corn is cultivated, sown and cared for with the help of machinery that is commonly available and also used in the cultivation of fodder corn and cereals. Corn cobs can be collected by hand or in a mechanized process, using self-propelled or attachable combines. Also in the process of kernel separation from the cobs the use of cutting equipment is required. Hence, the process of cutting is significantly related to the mechanical properties of the kernels and the cobs of sweet corn. The technological value of the kernels, in turn, depends on the harvest technology and on cob processing.
Financial effects obtained from sweet corn production can be relatively high, provided there is a guarantee that the cobs can be readily sold. In particular, the profitability of sweet corn production for direct consumption involves a high level of commercial risk. In sweet corn production for industrial purposes, the success of the undertaking is determined by the distance of the plantation from the nearest processing plants, and by favourable terms of contract. At the present level of profitability, an increase in the scale of sweet corn production, and therefore in the profitability of farms, is only possible if there is a growth of internal market demand and improved access to new markets.
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