INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS MAIZE (CORN)?

Maize (Zea mays L.) are a group of cereal grains that belong to the Poaceae family,

commonly known as the grass family. It is the American Indian word for corn, which literally

means "that which sustains life". It is, the third leading annual crop in the world after rice and

wheat (Sandhu, Singh, & Malhi, 2007). It provides nutrients for humans and animals and

serves as a basic raw material for the production of starch, oil, protein, alcoholic beverages,

food sweeteners and, more recently, fuel.

Maize originated in Mexico over 9,000 years ago (1500 BC) from a wild grass known as

Teosinte (Kazerooni, Elham & Sharif, Atia & Nawaz, Haq & Rehman, Rafia & Nisar,

Shafaq. (2019). Native Americans grew and harvested this crop as a main source of food. It

was introduced into Africa around 1500 AD, spreading to every corner of the continent

within a relatively short period and is now Africa’s most important cereal crop.

The green plant, made into silage, has been used with much success in the dairy and beef

industries. After harvesting the grain, the dried leaves and upper part, including the flowers,

are still used today to provide relatively good forage for ruminant animals owned by many

small farmers in developing countries. The erect stalks, which in some varieties are strong,

are being used as long-lasting fences and walls.

This crop is rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, protein and carbohydrates, containing

approximately 72% starch, 10% protein, and 4% fat, supplying an energy density of 365

Kcal/100g (Ranum, Peter et al. “Global maize production, utilization, and consumption.”

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences vol. 1312 (2014). In some regions, maize

serves as the primary staple while in other areas, maize is combined with other cereal grains.

In Africa, where maize is mainly used for human consumption, dietary preferences,

processing and mode of preparation affect the contributions of maize to human nutrition.
Maize can be both a vegetable and whole grains for example, sweet corn we cook is usually

considered a vegetable whereas, the dry seeds used for popcorn are classified as whole grains.

Maize contains five well-known species (Z. perennis, Z. diploperennis, Z. luxurians, Z. mays,

and Z. nicaraguensis) and they are all native to Central America and Mexico. Maize is

cross-pollinated easily, therefore, resulting in diversity such as its physiology, colour, shape

of kernels and genome structure. There are six main types of corn and these include

● Dent Corn (Z. mays indentata Sturt)

● Pop Corn (Z. mays everta Sturt)

● Flint Corn (Z. mays indurate Sturt)

● Sweet Corn (Z. mays saccharata Sturt)

● Flour Corn (Z. mays amylacea Sturt)

● Pod Corn (Z. mays tunicate Sturt)

Corn is usually white or yellow but also comes in red, purple and blue. All these are sources

of anti-oxidants and starch.

Sweet corn also known as sugar corn or table corn is a premium crop in Nigeria. Nigerians

consume a lot of sweet corn every day. They do not consume sweet corn directly as a food

but as part of other foods like jollof rice, fried rice and salads etc.(“Sweet Corn Farming in

Nigeria – Is ₦5 Million Profit Possible?”).

The United States, China, Brazil and Argentina, produce over 2 thirds of the global

production of maize. The ranking of the top 10 maize-producing countries is controlled by 2

continents: North America and Asia with Mexico and Canada contributing to North

America’s production and Asia production being controlled by China, followed by India and

Indonesia. In Europe, Ukraine ranks 5th, while South Africa, as the African continent’s sole

producer, ranks 10th (“All the latest data on maize production around the world”). Kaduna is

the biggest producer of maize in Nigeria (“Nigeria Production of Maize by state, 2022 -
knoema.com”). The biggest markets of sweet corn in Nigeria are found in Lagos, Ibadan,

Abeokuta, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Owerri, Calabar.

The United States dominates the consumer market of corn worldwide. In 2021/2022, the U.S.

consumed about 12.4 billion bushels of corn. China, the runner-up, consumed about 11.57

billion bushels of corn in that year (Shahbandeh).

WHAT IS MILLET?

Millets are a group of cereal grains that belong to the Poaceae family, commonly known as

the grass family. It’s widely common and consumed in developing countries throughout

Africa and Asia. It was one of the first grains to be domesticated and was a staple food in

Africa and Asia for thousands of years. While it may look like a seed, its nutritional value is

similar to that of sorghum and other cereals. Millet ranks as the sixth most important grain in

the world, sustaining more than a third of the world’s population. It provides nutrients for

humans and was mostly used as fodder for animals and in birdseed. Millet is used today in

bread, beer, cereal making and other dishes.

Millet is said to have originated in North Africa, specifically in Ethiopia, where it has been

consumed since prehistoric times (Pushpavalli, Karuppasamy. (2015). Millets are said to be

first cultivated in Asia more than 4,000 years ago and were major grains in Europe during the

Middle Ages (“Foxtail | plant | Britannica”).

They have various advantages over other crops such as drought and pest resistance. Also,

they are able to survive in harsh environments and less fertile soil and produce a high yield of

grain. Most major millets, like Proso, also have a short growing season and are ready for

harvest after only 60-100 days, which is less the time it takes for other grains like wheat or

rice.
Many of the most powerful health benefits millet has to offer are related to its fibre content.

For example, the high fibre levels found in millet may help reduce Low-Density Lipoprotein

(LDL) or “bad” cholesterol while boosting High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) or “good”

cholesterol. In addition to improving cholesterol levels, the fibre content of millet supports a

healthy heart by reducing blood pressure and, in doing so, reducing the risk of heart attack

and stroke.

Millets are highly nutritious, non-glutinous and non-acid-forming foods. It is rich in minerals

like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium as well as

essential vitamins like folate, pantothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and Vitamins B6, C, E, and

K. They contain 7-12% protein, 2-5% fat, 65-75% carbohydrates and 15-20% dietary fibre

(“Millets-The Nutri-cereals — Vikaspedia”).

Millet is commonly produced in developing continents such as Asia and Africa with 97%

production (Millet. (2023, February 1). Wikipedia). Pearl millet, commonly called millet, is

mainly grown in the Northern part of Nigeria because it crop thrives in locations where

rainfall does not last long enough to deter its growth. India is the world leader in the

production of millet with a share of around 41% of total world production in 2020. The top

importers of millets along with their share in world imports are Indonesia (8%), Belgium

(7.36%), Germany (4.65), Mexico (4.1%), Italy (4.02%), United States of America (3.35%),

United Kingdom (3.25%) Brazil (3.24%) and Netherlands (3.14%) in 2020. The top ten

importers accounted for USD 221.7 million in 2020 out of the world import of USD 466.3

million in the same year. (“Home.” YouTube, 24 May 2011,

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage. Accessed 5 February 2023).

Millet can be divided into two categories: major or minor.

Major millet varieties include:

● Finger
 ● Pearl

● Foxtail

● White

● Sorghum

Minor millet varieties include:

● Kodo

● Guinea

● Barnyard

● Job’s Tears

CLASSIFICATION OF MAIZE AND MILLET

MAIZE MILLET

Kingdom Plantae Plantae

Phylum Tracheophytes Tracheophytes

Division Magnoliophyta Magnoliophyta

(Angiosperms) (Angiosperms)

Class Liliopsida (Monocots) Liliopsida (Monocots)

Clade Commelinids Commelinids

Subclass Poales Poales

Family Poaceae Poaceae

Subfamily Panicoideae Panicoidae

Genus Zea Panicum L.

Species Zea mays Panicum miliaceum L.