RELATIONSHIP OF NITROGEN-SULFUR FERTILIZATION AND HYBRID TO SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF SHRUNKEN2 SWEET CORN KERNELS

Sweet corn hybrids significantly affected the primary components of ea ting quality, i.e. sweetness (P < 0.001), sweet corn aroma (P = 0.004) , crisp pericarp (P = 0.002) and tender endosperm (P = 0.020). To some degree, N-S fertilization had an influence on the sweetness of the ke rnel (P = 0.067). Hybrids with high levels of kernel DMS and sucrose h ad more intense sweet corn aroma and sweetness, respectively, with a c orresponding increase in sweet corn flavor. A positive relationship wa s also observed between sweet corn aroma and kernel DMS concentration. Although overall liking did not display significant differences betwe en hybrids and was not correlated with any of the chemical components of flavor, it was positively related to aroma, sweetness and texture, and negatively related to grassiness and starchiness in the kernels. T he results in this study demonstrated the importance of conducting sen sory evaluation to understand the complex nature of the sensory qualit y in food crops.