Author	[Modern View]
Mike in MI 07-24-2012 16:11:34 74.36.237.161 Report to Moderator	First time I've seen corn growing like this. Anyone have any ideas on what might cause this? Maybe due to the hot dry weather? poke here [Reply]   [No Email]
John_PA 07-24-2012 20:19:04 96.236.160.186 Report to Moderator	Re: Ear corn on corn tousels? in reply to Mike in MI, 07-24-2012 16:11:34   That my friend, is the reverse evolution of corn. Maize is a grass, and the Incans bred it for the seed/feed. The maize grass seed was produced on the tassle, the same way that orchard grass, or wheat, or Timothy produces a head. However, the grass seed was smaller, so the stalk had no trouble supporting the weight of the seed. Through excellent processes of nurturing and breeding, the incans were able to find those genetic mutations where the seed formed lower on the stalk, and the tassle supported the pollen. They did this by selecting only the biggest maize grass seeds to replant. By doing so, the plants had to adapt to the increasingly heavy seeds until finally the stalks became mutated and the seeds formed along the stalk, not on the tassle, or grain head. By then selecting only those seeds, they bred stronger and stronger versions of the maize which we now know as our traditional looking corn. However, all corn, at one point in time all grew like heads of wheat on the tops of the stalks. I'm sure it took the Incans hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of years to accomplish this. We have only known corn for the past 500 years or so. Only within the past 70 years or so were we able to increase our average bushel per acre yield from 35bu/a to 160 bu/a. At this rate, there might come a point 70-100 years from now, where we are harvesting corn cobs the size of our forearms, with a 700 bu/a average yield. So, your corn is simply starting to revert back to it's original form through stress and probably a midlife crisis. [Reply]  [No Email]
todd hamilton 07-25-2012 06:18:57 75.213.154.112 Report to Moderator	Re: Ear corn on corn tousels? in reply to John_PA, 07-24-2012 20:19:04   have been around corn all of my life and never seen a small ear on the tassle or knew the history of the evolution of the plant, old dogs can learn something new, thanks. [Reply]  [No Email]
Bob Bancroft 07-24-2012 18:40:05 97.73.64.147 Report to Moderator	Re: Ear corn on corn tousels? in reply to Mike in MI, 07-24-2012 16:11:34   I see it occasionally. Even in a "normal" year. But then my soil is shallow and unforgiving enough corn usually suffers some kind of stress any year. I've wondered if it's more prevalent the more corn in genetically modified. Or is it following the general population- some can't seem to tell the difference between male and female?! [Reply]  [No Email]
GordoSD 07-24-2012 17:22:30 64.33.250.162 Report to Moderator	Re: Ear corn on corn tousels? in reply to Mike in MI, 07-24-2012 16:11:34   Stress caused. Stressed plants have many variations reactions. All related to reproduction. [Reply]  [No Email]
IaGary 07-24-2012 17:19:13 108.160.229.48 Report to Moderator	Re: Ear corn on corn tousels? in reply to Mike in MI, 07-24-2012 16:11:34   Some hybrids seem to do it more than others. I have seen a few of them on my corn as well this year. Gary [Reply]  [No Email]