Genetic control of channelization in corn starch granules. Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, Purdue University. It has been known that corn, sorghum, and millet starch granules contain surface pores, which are natural features and not artifacts.
Pores are also present in the equatorial grove of large wheat, barley, and rye starch granules.
In corn starch granules, most of these pores are openings to channels that connect the outer surface to a central. Evidence has also been presented that the nature of the outer envelope of corn starch granules is under genetic control. Finally, granules of sorghum mutant are known to be more highly channelized than are normal sorghum starch granules. The question to be answered by this research is whether the extent of channelization of corn starch granules is also under genetic control. Also examined was a broader range of other starches, such as oat, rice, barley, and potato.