Pal Hermansen / Colourful corn (Zea mays) seeds against white background.

Nigel Cattlin / Maize (Zea mays) seedling with roots and early leaves, above and below ground.

Nigel Cattlin / Maize (Zea mays) seedling with roots and early leaves, above and below ground.

Nigel Cattlin / Maize (Zea mays) seed germinating with radicle, root hairs and coleoptile growth.

Ashley Cooper / Maize drying, during drought which caused food shortage, Heilongjiang Province, northern China. March 2009.

Ashley Cooper / Maize drying, during drought which caused food shortage, Heilongjiang Province, northern China. March 2009

John Cancalosi / Luhya woman winnowing corn, Kakamega forest, Kenya, July.

Phil Savoie / English oak tree (Quercus robur) in field of cultivated Maize (Zea mays) seedlings, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, May.

Phil Savoie / Field of Maize (Zea mays) seedlings, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, May.

Claudio Contreras / Corn / maize (Zea mays) plantation, Milpa Alta, Mexico, September

Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Man shoveling Maize (Zea mays) corn into a pile after the corn has been shelled (removed from the cob). Commercial maize farm, Tanzania, East Africa. October 2011.

Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Bags of Maize (Zea mays) cobs ready for shelling. Commercial maize farm, Tanzania, East Africa.