α 1,4 — α 1,6 Glucopolysaccharides Contained in Developing Maize Kernels

Corn grains with different filling times were fractionated in order to obtain their α 1,4 — α 1,6 glucopolysaccharide composition and structure. Sugary, waxy, flint and several hybrids were the varieties analyzed. There is an increase in the total content of polysaccharides, as the grain is completed. But, no differences in composition and structure were detected between the first sample analyzed (15th day after pollination) and the last one, which corresponds to the complete grain filling period. The methodology developed by us, allowed us to observe that the introduction of su character on the hybrids (F x S and S x F) has influence on the final polysaccharide structure. Also, in the F x W hybridα 1,4 — α 1,6 glucans, their structural characteristics were different from those of F or W pure.