North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["alden@waldenwinds.com" <alden@waldenwinds.com>]

<<It may well be twice as good for making biodiesel; but it may be worse
for any other purpose>>

False.   The high oil content comes from increasing the size of the germ.  
Hence, protein is increased as well

High-oil corn has been bred since at least 1896, however, it is not a 
selection, it is a technology.

A TopCross Blend® is a mechanical mixture of two types of corn seed. One 
type, representing 90 to 95 percent of the seed in a bag, is a hybrid that is 
designated as the "Grain Parent." The normal male fertile version is called 
the "Grain Parent Check." The second type, representing all remaining seed, 
is a special "Pollinator." The Grain Parent is a male sterile version of an 
elite hybrid that may already be in commercial production. The Pollinator is 
a special line, available from DuPont and licenced to the seed company, that 
sheds pollen within a TopCross Blend production field. The pollen shed from 
these Pollinator plants contain special genes that cause a kernel to produce 
a much larger than average germ or embryo (commonly called xenia effect). 
Since most of the oil and protein is in the germ, the oil, and thus the 
energy level, and protein quality of the grain produced by fertilization with 
these pollinators is enhanced.
http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/AA/A003.aspx

"High-oil corn worked well in swine rations. Oil content averaged 7.5%; 
protein was 1-2% higher than in conventional hybrids. Amino acids were a 
little higher, too. Lysine averages about 0.3l%, compared with conventional 
corn at 0.25 or 0.26%." quote from:
http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/high-oil-corn-greases-new-markets
Phosphorus, Calcium and Vitamin E were significantly increased.
The only component notably decreased was starch.
I was surprised the increase in protein was small relative to the increase in 
Oil.
To my knowledge, the technology was being practiced prior to GM organism was 
introduced into corn.  It was [and may still be] an advance by big biz that 
was beneficial without genetic modification.

Note with all we had going, we didn't get more than half as much oil achieved 
as the N. Koreans did.
Charlie in Massachusetts