“玉米的祖先是谁”至今是一个富于争论的科学难题。经过几个世纪的探索与研究，产生了许多有关玉米起源与演化的理论假说。对几个影响较大的玉米起源与演化理论假说包括有稃野生玉米起源假说、共同起源假说、三成分起源假说、大刍草直向进化起源假说、大刍草异常突变起源假说、摩擦禾—二倍体多年生大刍草起源假说及其最新研究进展作一概述，并对各个理论假说存在的问题及其合理性解释作简单评述。

Up to now, the origin of maize is still submitted to scientific controversy for several centuries, numerous hypotheses or theories of maize origin have been offered. In this paper, it was reviewed that currently six leading hypotheses: the wild pod corn hypothesis, common origin hypothesis, the tripartite hypothesis, the orthodox teosinte theory, the catastrophic sexual transmutation theory, tripsacum-Z.diploperennis hypothesis are received serious consideration. The perspectives of these hypotheses are also discussed.

国家自然科学基金项目(30671308)、教育部创新团队发展计划(IRT0453)、四川省科技厅玉米遗传育种(05jy029- 033-2)与饲草育种攻关项目