Timing is the key

A second fact the seed agronomist knows about the male line is that it tends to flower about a week before the female line.

Quiz

Question

Because the male plant flowers one week before the female plant, Edmund should...

To review this concept click on the link Flowering Principles: Flower Development and Time.

A. Plant the female rows one week before the male is planted.

Correct: Timing is important in making sure pollen sheds when the female is ready to receive it.

B. Plant the female rows one week after the male is planted.

Incorrect: Timing is important in making sure pollen sheds when the female is ready to receive it.

C. Plant both the male and female rows at the same time.

Incorrect: Timing is important in making sure pollen sheds when the female is ready to receive it.

D. All of the above are ok because timing of flowering does not impact seed production.

Incorrect: Timing is important in making sure pollen sheds when the female is ready to receive it.

Looks Good! Correct: Timing is important in making sure pollen sheds when the female is ready to receive it.

Because the hybrid seed production is done on a large scale, equipment has been engineered to help with this work. Two specialized equipment items are shown:

The cutter will cut off the top of the corn plant. It works kind of like a lawn mower. Some of the longer leaves of the corn plant will be removed with the cutter.

The corn plants show above are at three stages of growth. Plants at the youngest stage would be cut at the correct location to remove the male flower (tassel) but leave the female flower (ear) intact. Based on where the female flower is developing on the two older plants you can judge where to make the cut on the younger plant and convert this to a female flowers only plant. *(Credit: Todd Jensen, UNL)*

Quiz

Question

The youngest plant in the picture above should be cut at which position?

A. # 1

Incorrect: Position # 1 is probably above the tassel. Position # 3 is probably below the shoot and tassel.

B. # 2

Correct: Position # 1 is probably above the tassel. Position # 3 is probably below the shoot and tassel.

C. # 3

Incorrect: Position # 1 is probably above the tassel. Position # 3 is probably below the shoot and tassel.

D. none of these

Incorrect: Position # 1 is probably above the tassel. Position # 3 is probably below the shoot and tassel.

Looks Good! Correct: Position # 1 is probably above the tassel. Position # 3 is probably below the shoot and tassel.

The puller is designed to grab and pull the top of the corn plant stem. The top of the stem will snap off when grabbed by the puller. It is used on taller corn plants after they have had some of their longer leaves cut off.

The tassel will develop inside the growing corn plant and move up through the plant as it grows. The goal is to remove the tassel from the plant before it emerges from the top. The shoot female flower will likewise develop inside the corn plant but will emerge several leaves below the top of the plant. The goal of removing the tassel must not result in the removal or damage of the shoot.

Quiz

Question

The cutter is used first. The cutter will be used on...

A. both the male and female rows.

Incorrect: The female rows need to have their tassels removed so they obtain pollen only from the males.

B. the female rows only.

Correct: The female rows need to have their tassels removed so they obtain pollen only from the males.

C. the male rows only.

Incorrect: The female rows need to have their tassels removed so they obtain pollen only from the males.

D. every other male rows.

Incorrect: The female rows need to have their tassels removed so they obtain pollen only from the males.

Looks Good! Correct: The female rows need to have their tassels removed so they obtain pollen only from the males.

Question

The cutter should cut the corn plant...

A. above where the tassel is growing.

Incorrect: There is a point on the plant before the tassel emerges below the tassel and above the shoot. Cutting hat part off eliminates the tassel but leaves the shoot intact

B. below the tassel but above where the shoot emerges.

Correct: There is a point on the plant before the tassel emerges below the tassel and above the shoot. Cutting hat part off eliminates the tassel but leaves the shoot intact

C. below the tassel and the shoot.

Incorrect: There is a point on the plant before the tassel emerges below the tassel and above the shoot. Cutting hat part off eliminates the tassel but leaves the shoot intact

D. above the tassel but below the shoot.

Incorrect: There is a point on the plant before the tassel emerges below the tassel and above the shoot. Cutting hat part off eliminates the tassel but leaves the shoot intact

Looks Good! Correct: There is a point on the plant before the tassel emerges below the tassel and above the shoot. Cutting hat part off eliminates the tassel but leaves the shoot intact

The cutter and puller equipment save manual labor but do not eliminate it. For that reason, a crew of “detasselers” is hired each summer to walk the field and remove the tops of any corn plant that might have been missed by the equipment

**Detasseling Crew.** *Credit: Joel Stuthman*

Quiz

Question

What is the order that the seed agronomist should have operations completed in the seed production field?

A. puller, detasseling crew, cutter

Incorrect: The cutter gets some of the tassels and makes it easier for the puller to work. The pullers get most of the tassels. The detassling crew gets the rest.

B. detasseling crew, cutter, puller

Incorrect: The cutter gets some of the tassels and makes it easier for the puller to work. The pullers get most of the tassels. The detassling crew gets the rest.

C. puller, cutter detasseling crew

Incorrect: The cutter gets some of the tassels and makes it easier for the puller to work. The pullers get most of the tassels. The detassling crew gets the rest.

D. cutter, puller,detasseling crew

Correct: The cutter gets some of the tassels and makes it easier for the puller to work. The pullers get most of the tassels. The detassling crew gets the rest.

Looks Good! Correct: The cutter gets some of the tassels and makes it easier for the puller to work. The pullers get most of the tassels. The detassling crew gets the rest.

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