A new variety of starchy corn in Peru that yields up to 3 mt/ha

The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (Minagri), has made a new variety of starchy corn available to farmers. It is "INIA-623 Cumbemaino", which can produce up to 3 tons per hectare, compared to the 800 kilos that other varieties produce.

This variety developed by the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation (INIA) can produce 2 to 3 cobs per plant and has resistance to cob rot generated by the Helicoverpa zea insect and the Fusarium fungus.

"INIA-623 Cumbemaino" offers grains of good texture, with a shelling percentage of 89% and a weight of 550 grams, as well as adaptability to an altitude range between 2,500 to 3,000 meters above sea level.

Due to its high genetic quality, it will allow increasing productivity per hectare and improving, by 50%, the economic profitability of more than 220 thousand small farmers, approximately.

The production of this new cultivar was a work of 12 years of research carried out by specialists from INIA's National Corn Program in Cajamarca. The process included backcrossing techniques using germplasm and the participation of producers from the Cajamarca, Ancash and Amazonas regions.

Starchy corn, after potatoes, is one of the main foods of the inhabitants of the Peruvian highlands.