Huitlacoche delicacy: turning the lost corn crop into a high value delicacy vegetable

Commodities

Practices

This project will demonstrate the new corn genetics for
huitlacoche and the associated management practices for promoting
huitlacoche production, which will greatly enhance the value of
the farmer’s crop. The two hybrids (“Huitla Maiz1”and “Huitla
Maiz2”) for the SARE On-farm trial project are chosen for their
overall agronomic performance, as well as susceptibility to
common smut and therefore, high huitlacoche production potential
(Figure 1). These parent lines of Huitla Maiz1 were developed by
crossing temperate corn inbred lines and a Peruvian highland
CUZCO variety, while these parent lines of Huitla Maiz2 were
developed by crossing temperate corn inbred lines with its wild
relative teosinte. These inbred lines and experimental hybrids
were developed and selected for adaptation to the environments in
southern United States, but they were not released due to their
preserved poor trait of high common smut incident for grain
production, which is now a superior trait for this project and
future reliable and economic production of the huitlacoche
delicacy. Both hybrids are non-GMO, therefore, they can be used
for both conventional and organic crop systems.

The objective of this project is to conduct on-farm research and
demonstrate the value of growing specialty huitlacoche corn as a
new source of high-value delicacy crop and identify the best
combination of hybrids with various soil types and environmental
conditions. Development of a commercial corn hybrid may take 10
years and involve these major steps: (a) develop superior inbred
lines with desirable traits, (b) make a number of experimental
hybrids by crossing two inbred lines, (c) test the experimental
hybrids in multiple environments for a few years and advance the
best one for commercial production. Each step may take up to 5
years. Over the past 23 years, the PI (Xu) has developed numerous
lines and hybrids by using exotic tropical corn germplasm and
wild relatives such as teosinte and Tripscacum. Like
other breeding programs, the majority of the breeding materials
(inbred lines and hybrids) are discarded or stored in the cold
room due to defective traits such the susceptibility to common
smut. Considering that the diseased tissue (common smut) could
become a high value delicacy, the shelfed germplasm findsa
 new use when their defect trait becomes a highly requested
desirable trait.

Hybrids for the huitlacoche delicacy have already been developed,
so this SARE grant will fund a system for integrating and
establishing this technology on small farms. This new genetic
technology can allow producers to generate income in small areas
and help concentrate limited irrigation resources, conserve water
resources, and increase crop diversity.

Field experiments: We will grow and evaluate the
performance of two hybrids (“Huitla Maiz1”and “Huitla Maiz2”)
under two plant-populations on farmer’s fields in two
widely-separated locations in Texas (Lubbock and Austin) as shown
in Figure 2. These locations represent major metropolises and
agriculture regions in Texas, have very diverse environments, and
have a strong market for Mexican food.

Experiment corn hybrids: These hybrids are chosen for the
SARE On-farm trial project according to their overall agronomic
performance, but especially for susceptibility to common smut and
therefore high huitlacoche production potential. These parent
lines of Huitla Maiz1 were developed by crossing temperate corn
inbred lines and a Peruvian highland CUZCO variety, while these
parent lines of Huitla Maiz2 were developed by crossing temperate
corn inbred lines with its wild relative teosinte. These inbred
lines and experimental hybrids were developed and selected for
adaptation to the environments in southern United States, but
they were not released due to their observed poor trait of high
common smut incidence negatively impacting grain production, but
now becomes a superior trait for this project and future reliable
and economic production of the huitlacoche delicacy. Both hybrids
are non-GMO, and therefore, can be used for both conventional and
organic crop systems.

Field experiment design: The experiment will use a
split-split-plot design with three replications. The main plot is
the plant population: medium at 20,000 plants per acre and high
at 25,000 plants per acre, in order to determine which is the
best hybrid-plant population combination for a specific farm. The
sub-plot will be inoculation (with or without inoculation). The
sub-sub-plots are the hybrids. Each plot will be two rows, 20-ft
long, with a 30-inch row spacing.

Boost kit and application of Ustilago maydis
inoculum: The farmer cooperators will receive a boost kit
containing a 32 oz plastic sprayer bottle, a packet of dried
spores of the fungus Ustilago maydis, and instruction of
mixing the spore with water and sparing the spore solutions to
the silks. The sprayer is adjustable from mist to steady stream.
The bottle has graduated volume marks for ounces and milliliters.
The original Ustilago maydis was collected from corn
plants in Lubbock, Texas in November 2023. Dried smut tissues
were stored in a sealed plastic bottle.

Data collection: Detailed records will be recorded on all
farming inputs (such as fertilizers, hours for field operation,
irrigation), rainfall, number of plants per plot, pollen shedding
and silking dates, plant and ear heights. During the season,
plants with huitlacoche will be marked by painting with an orange
spray, huitlacoche will be harvested 15 days after inoculation.
It is anticipated that some plants will produce huitlacoche
before or after this target harvest date. The harvested
huitlacoche will be counted and weighed. Ears without huitlacoche
will give farmer additional income and will be harvested for
grain by hand, shelled and weighed for grain yield. The total
huitlacoche ears and grain yield and their sales value will be
recorded to calculate the gross income and compare the profits of
growing huitlacoche corn with other vegetables.

The seeds of the huitlacoche hybrids “Huitla Maiz1”and “Huitla
Maiz2for farmers to grow are currently not available
commercially. The PI and his staff will increase the seeds of the
parent lines for the hybrids and produce the hybrid seeds through
hand pollination and by using isolation seed production field. We
are working closely with seed companies to commercialize the
germplasm developed by our corn breeding program. New Deal Grain,
a family-owned regional seed company in Texas, is very interested
in licensing the parent lines of these hybrids.