Corn Pollination: How to Hand-Pollinate Corn for Optimal Yield

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Corn Pollination: How to Hand-Pollinate Corn for Optimal Yield

Corn pollination is a crucial step in ensuring you're getting the optimal yield from your crop. This process happens naturally when wind or insects carry pollen from the male flower (tassel) to the female flower (silk). If this process doesn't happen properly, you may end up with ears of corn that are misshapen or have fewer kernels. In this post, we'll discuss the importance of proper corn pollination, the basics of the corn pollination process, and signs that your corn isn't getting properly pollinated.

The importance of proper corn pollination

Proper corn pollination is important since it can affect the yield and quality of the corn. If a corn plant isn't adequately pollinated, it might only produce a few small ears or develop kernels irregularly. Corn that is under-pollinated may also have barren tips or big gaps between rows on the cob.

Understanding the basics of corn pollination process

As mentioned earlier, corn pollination happens when pollen from the tassel lands on the silk of the ear. It takes about 2 weeks for the pollinated silks to form seeds at the base of the ear. Any interruption of the pollination process during this period can result in poorly shaped or stunted ears.

Signs that your corn isn't getting properly pollinated

There are several signs that indicate your corn isn't getting properly pollinated:

• Short or unfilled ears
• Ears with tip-back (the kernels near the top of the ear having no or few kernels)
• Partially-filled cobs
• Poor kernel development

Now let's move onto the techniques of hand-pollinating corn for a better yield.

Several techniques can be used to hand-pollinate corn, which we'll discuss below.

Hand-Pollinating Corn

Hand pollination is a simple process that involves gathering pollen from the tassels of one plant and applying it to the silks on another. It's best to do this in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler and humidity is higher. The following steps are involved:

1. Gather male flowers (tassels) by pulling them off the plant with your hands.
2. Collect pollen by shaking or tapping the tassel over a white paper.
3. Transfer the pollen to the fully developed female silks or ears you want to pollinate.

How to Use the Shake Method for Better Corn Pollination?

Another popular technique is the shake method which makes use of the wind as an aid to pollinate the corn. Here's how to use it:

1. Wait until your corn silk is out and visible.
2. Move your hand or body back and forth across the tassels so that they shake slightly.
3. This action shakes the pollen out of the tassels, and it falls into the air like dust.
4. As the pollen falls, some of it will come into contact with the silk strands.

This method imitates natural wind movement and promotes cross-pollination among the corn plants.

Using Existing Winds to Hand Pollinate Corn

Corn crop fields located in windy areas can make the most of natural wind patterns for pollination. However, this may not always work because the winds have to be powerful enough to help with the process. In such cases, you can plant rows at right angles to prevailing winds to ensure the more even distribution of pollen.

Hybridizing two different strains of corn can increase the yield capacity of your crop. It's best to start by understanding the basics before going ahead with the hybridization process.

The Basics of Hybridizing Two Different Strains of Corn for Increased Yields

Hybridization is the process of crossing two different strains to create a new one that combines desirable traits from both parents. When it comes to corn, hybrid strains have larger ears, better pest and disease resistance, and an overall higher yield potential. If you're interested in hybridization, here's what you should know:

1. Identify which plant strain has desirable traits like drought tolerance or high yields
2. Cross pollinate that selected variety with others of a different strain by allowing males to fertilize females artificially.
3. Dry out the seeds from the cobs obtained during this process
4. Store them properly, following the guidelines for hybridized corn seeds

Introducing Specialist Pollinators and Helpers for Better Crop Yields

Using specialist pollinators or natural helpers can also improve the yield of your corn crops. Specialist pollinators like Mason bees and bumblebees are excellent at moving pollen between plants within short distances. Other insects, such as soldier beetles and ladybugs, help keep the gardens free of pests, which indirectly increases the yield.

Proper pollination is essential to maximize the yield and quality of your corn crop. This post covered various techniques to hand-pollinate corn, increasing yield through hybridization, benefits of introducing specialist pollinators, and addressing FAQs about corn pollination. Use these tips correctly, and you'll be rewarded with healthy earfuls of delicious corn.

Here are answers to some common questions about corn pollination:

Why does my corn seem to have few kernels?

There could be several reasons for fewer kernels in your corn crop such as under-pollination, crop stress or lack of nutrients.

How much time does it take before hand-pollinated corn matures?

Hand-pollinated corn usually takes around 70 - 100 days to mature depending on the variety.

Why do I need to hand-pollinate corn? Can't bees or other insects do it?

Bees play a significant role in pollinating corn. However, when they are not abundant or absent, hand-pollination can take their place.

What's the best weather for hand-pollinating corn?

The best weather for hand-pollinating corn should be dry with low wind speeds and high humidity.

How can I tell if my corn plant has been properly pollinated?

You can tell if your corn has been properly pollinated by checking the silks of the ear that turn brown, wilt and dry out soon after the seed starts developing.

Can I hybridize my corn with other plants like wheat or rice?

No, corn cannot hybridize with wheat or rice since they belong to different species within the grass family.

Are there any downsides to using hand-pollination on my corn crops?

One downside of hand-pollination is that it's labor-intensive and time-consuming compared with natural pollination.

What are some natural ways of increasing corn yields?

Increasing organic matter, proper watering and fertilizing, crop rotation, and planting cover crops are natural ways of increasing corn yields.

What are the best times of day to hand-pollinate corn for the best results?

The morning and evening times of the day are best for hand-pollination because that's when the temperature is cooler, and the humidity is higher.

How many ears of corn can I expect from each plant after hand-pollination?

The number of ears of corn each plant produces after hand-pollination depends on factors like cultivar, spacing, and soil quality. You can generally expect one or two ears per plant.