Maize Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 149-166 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/mgg 154 generally have high yield potential, and some varieties can increase yield by more than 15% to 20%. Of course, there are also differences in yield between different varieties. For example, the sweet and sticky 'Caitiannuo 168' created the highest fresh ear yield in the experiment, and its yield per mu reached about 1 370 kg at the experimental site (about 25% higher than the control variety, the data has not been officially published, and it comes from the experimental records). In contrast, some varieties with excellent quality but slightly smaller ears (such as 'Jinyin 208') have slightly lower yields per mu, but can also reach more than 800 kg. In trials in other regions, the high-yield potential of new varieties of fresh corn has also been verified. For example, in a variety comparison study in Indonesia, the recommended sweet corn hybrid 'Bonanza' had the highest yield at 65 days of harvest, and the fresh ear yield per hectare was significantly better than other varieties (Subaedah et al., 2021). For example, the 'Lutiannuo 191' cultivated in Shandong Province is the first new variety of salt-alkali tolerant colored sweet and sticky corn. In recent years, the yield per mu in multi-point tests has increased by more than 10% compared with the control. In 2022, the yield per mu was measured in Wudi County, Binzhou, and the yield per mu was measured in Zhaoyuan City, Yantai, with outstanding results of 1 333.4 kg and 1 546 kg, respectively. These records have refreshed the yield level of fresh corn and demonstrated a very high potential for yield increase. From the perspective of economic benefits, the promotion and planting of new varieties of fresh corn will bring considerable benefits to local farmers in Linhai. First of all, the market purchase price of fresh corn is significantly higher than that of feed corn, either by ear or by fresh weight. According to statistics, the output value of fresh corn (with ears) per mu can reach about 3 000 to 4 000 yuan, which is about 2 to 3 times that of ordinary corn. The high-quality varieties selected in this experiment (such as 'Caitiannuo 168', 'Zhetian 19', etc.) have both excellent yield and quality, and their per mu output value is conservatively estimated to be more than 3 500 yuan. If simple processing (such as vacuum packaging and quick freezing of fresh ears) is carried out, the selling price of the product can be doubled. Feedback from farmers participating in the trial planting shows that planting fresh corn can increase income by about 500 to 800 yuan per mu compared with planting ordinary corn, and about 6 000 yuan more per hectare. At the same time, corporate order acquisition and processing and export also provide farmers with stable sales channels and dividend income. Taking the "Nongsao" company in Gongzhuling City, Jilin Province as an example, farmers in its base can increase income by about 6 000 yuan per hectare after planting sweet corn, and realize multi-channel income increase through employment and dividends. If Linhai City promotes fresh corn, it can also adopt the "company+farmer" model to improve benefits. It is worth noting that some new varieties of fresh corn are not only effective in fresh ear sales, but also reflect economic value through the transfer of variety rights. For example, the auction price of the production and operation rights of the 'Lutiannuo 191' variety is as high as 1.5 million yuan, which shows the "gold content" of excellent varieties. It can be seen that the introduction and promotion of new varieties of high-yield and high-quality fresh corn can significantly increase unit area output and farmers' income. At the same time, through large-scale planting and brand building, it is hoped that a regional characteristic industrial chain will be formed to further enhance economic benefits. 4 Quality Trait Comparison 4.1 Stickiness and sweetness assessment The quality of fresh corn is mainly reflected in the glutinousness (branch starch content and texture) and sweetness (soluble sugar content) of the kernels. The introduced varieties include sweet corn, glutinous corn and sweet and glutinous types, each with its own characteristics in kernel composition and taste. Sweet corn (normal sweet, super sweet, enhanced sweet) kernels contain a variety of soluble sugars, such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, etc., and the accumulation of sugars makes it sweet and delicious (Li et al., 2020). The total sugar content of fresh ears of super sweet types (such as those carrying the sh2 gene) can reach 20%~30% of the dry matter of the kernels, which is higher than that of ordinary fruits (such as watermelon), and can be called "high-sugar vegetables". In this study, it was found that the soluble solids (sugar content) of sweet corn varieties at the milky stage averaged more than 15°Brix, and the highest variety was close to 20°Brix, which is much higher than the sweetness of ordinary corn. Since glutinous corn has the wx gene, it is almost 100% amylopectin. Its starch
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