An understanding of the genetic control of starch, protein, and oil co
ncentrations in the corn (Zea mays L.) kernel is essential for improve
ment of grain quality. Because large numbers of progenies are needed f
or genetic studies, a rapid, accurate, analytical procedure is necessa
ry. As part of a study to identify chromosomal regions associated with
starch and protein, a rapid near-infrared reflectance (NTR) method an
d a more labor-intensive 100-g wet-milling procedure were compared for
consistency in ranking families and identifying quantitative trait lo
ci (QTL) using a set of 200 F2S1 families from the cross of the 70th g
enerations of the Illinois High Protein (IHP) x Illinois Low Protein (
ILP) corn strains. MR starch and wet-milling starch values were highly
correlated (r = 0.80), as were NIR protein and gluten measured by wet
-milling (r = 0.72). Chromosomal regions associated with MR starch and
wet-milling starch were generally the same. Fiber concentration was s
ignificantly negatively correlated with starch and positively correlat
ed with protein. Chromosome regions with significant associations with
starch also had significant associations with fiber. The NIR method i
s satisfactory for measuring starch and protein in material with a wid
e range of variability in the early stages of a corn-breeding program.