Creole/Native maize: mexican heritage with nutritional power
Keywords:
Creole/Native maize, genetic diversity, biocultural heritageAbstract
Maize (Zea Mays) is a grass that was domesticated in Mesoamerica from teosinte (a wild grass) approximately 9,000 years ago. Maize is a cornerstone of Mexican culture, food, and biodiversity. Consequently, rural communities have preserved and diversified 59 landraces of native maize, maintaining significant genetic variability within each landrace, thereby fostering the plant’s resilience and adaptability. Domestication involved key genetic changes that, through empirical and observational selection, accentuated phenotypic traits such as branching, kernel exposure, and starch content, radically transforming its morphology and facilitating its use as a food source. Although hybrid corn varieties have displaced wide native varieties due to their higher yields, native corn varieties retain an invaluable genetic heritage to address future agricultural challenges and maintain cultural practices such as la milpa. Among them, pigmented corn varieties stand out for their high levels of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential, such as anthocyanins and carotenoids, which provide antioxidant and protective benefits for human health. Preserving the diverse varieties of Mexican native corn means safeguarding a biocultural heritage and a source of agricultural and nutraceutical innovation for future generations.
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