Quality Assessment of Spring-grown Sweet Corn for Bicolor, White, and Yellow Cultivars: Part II

Sweet corn ( Zea mays L. var. saccharata ), valued for its sweetness and tenderness, is an important crop in the southeastern United States. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted at the University of Georgia, Tifton Campus, to identify sh2 sweet corn cultivars that exhibit desirable kernel quality attributes under southern Georgia production conditions and to complement the yield performance results reported in part I of this study. Ten bicolor, five white, and five yellow cultivars were evaluated, with ‘Obsession’ (bicolor), ‘Glacial’ (white), and ‘Passion’ (yellow) used as check cultivars. Quality traits, including soluble solids content (SSC), kernel firmness, and color, were analyzed separately within each color category during two spring production seasons. No significant differences in SSC were observed among cultivars within any color category. However, kernel firmness differed significantly among bicolor and yellow cultivars ( P ≤ 0.05). Bicolor cultivars BSS1075 (3.86 N), BSS8021 (3.82 N), and Courage (3.36 N) exhibited greater firmness than the check cultivar Obsession (3.27 N), whereas ‘Redemption’ (2.98 N), ‘Salute’ (2.96 N), ‘Superb’ (2.91 N), ‘American Dream’ (2.72 N), and ‘Seminole Sweet’ (2.54 N) exhibited a lower firmness. Among the yellow cultivars, ‘GSS1170’ (4.09 N) and ‘Astronaut’ (3.47 N) were firmer than the check ‘Passion’ (3.14 N), whereas ‘SC1336’ (2.58 N) had a lower firmness. In white cultivars, color analysis revealed a significant cultivar × year interaction, with ‘XTH3674’ [chroma (C*) = 26.6, hue angle (h°) = 92.9) and ‘Endurance’ (C* = 24.5, h° = 93.8) showing stronger yellow tones, whereas ‘Platinum’ (C* = 18.9, h° = 96.1) and ‘Glacial’ (C* = 21.2, h° = 95.2) maintained a stable, bright-white appearance across years. Based on this quality analysis and the yield results reported in part I, we recommend the bicolor cultivars Obsession, Seminole Sweet, and Redemption for their tender kernels (lower firmness) favored by consumers, and ‘BSS1075’ and ‘BSS8021’ for their greater kernel firmness, which may enhance postharvest durability and tolerance to mechanical harvest. Among yellow cultivars, ‘GSS1170’ combined the highest firmness with superior yield and ear morphology, supporting its suitability for large-scale production in southern Georgia. In white sweet corn, kernel firmness was not significant; however, ‘Platinum’ and ‘Glacial’ are recommended for their stable, distinct white kernel appearance across years.