Maize /

Maize (Zea mays L. ssp. mays, pronounced /ˈmeɪz/) from Spanish maiz after Taino mahiz, known in many English-speaking countries as corn, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. Its main classification is vegetable, yet it is technically a fruit. The Olmec and Mayans cultivated it in numerous varieties throughout central and southern Mexico, to cook or grind in a process called nixtamalization. Between 1700 and 1250 BCE, the crop spread through much of the Americas. Any significant or dense populations in the region developed a great trade network based on surplus and varieties of maize crops. After European contact with the Americas in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, explorers and traders carried maize back to Europe and introduced it to other countries through trade. Maize spread to the rest of the world due to its popularity and ability to grow in diverse climates. Maize is the most widely grown crop in the Americas with 332 million metric tons grown annually in the United States alone (although 40% of the crop - 130 million tons - is used for corn ethanol.) Transgenic maize made up 85% of the maize planted in the United States