Corn Leaves

Botanical Name: Dracaena Fragrans
Common Name: Massengeana
Origin: West Africa, Tanzania, Zambia
Cultivation: Partial Shade

Corn is a tall plant grass that has large ears with many seeds or kernels. These seeds grow in rows on the larger areas and are eaten as vegetables. Corn plant increase in weight slowly early in the growing season. But as more leaves are exposed to sunlight, the rate of dry matter accumulation gradually increases. The leaves of the plant are produced first, followed by the leaf sheaths, stalk, husks, ear shank, cob and finally the grain.

Leaf Stages
Leaf stages are referred to as vegetative stages. The vegetative phase begins at planting and ends with the initiation of reproductive primordia. In corn, the end of the vegetative phase is marked by the initiation of the tassel primordia. Leaves still emerge from the whorl even though the primordia is reproductive.

A leaf consists of three parts:

• The leaf blade, the part of the fully expanded leaf that extends from the leaf tip to the stem.
• The leaf sheath, the part of the leaf that is wrapped around the stem.
• The leaf collar, which joins the blade and the collar.

Drying Corn
Corn is harvested when kernels have between 20 to 30% moisture content. Acceptable storage moisture content is 15%. To reduce moisture level in kernels, efficient drying techniques are necessary. Some drying methods are:

• Natural Air Drying: Corna are left in open to dry naturally.
• Low Temperature Drying: Air in the bin is maintained at 5 to 10 degree F to reduce drying time.
• High Temperature Drying: Air is heated in the bin to high temperatures for fast drying.
• Layer Drying: Allows corn to be harvested at higher moisture content.

Time required for the drying depends on the initial moisture content of the grain and the drying method used. Fans are used to circulate the air through the grain. Temperature is often increased to a prime degree to ensure maximum germination. After drying, temperatures are lowered to prevent mold growth during storage.

Uses of Dried Corn Leaf
Dried corn leaf is used to make herbal tea. It is also used to flavor beer. Ideal for edible applications. It is used to make cornmeal pancakes, dried corn pudding, dried corn pie, etc. It can also serve as a heating fuel. Corn leaf can be dried and ground into flour to make porridge, breads and drinks.