OT----Corn

Now that I am retired due to my health I find I have time to listen to some strange thing. Last summer I heard a report from a local reporter that stated the average stalk of corn only produces one ear of corn. ONE! Is this true or not? Seems like a lot of work just for one ear of corn.

mostly true.ear equals half the total weight of stalk and ear

Depends on breeding and nutrition. With plenty of nutrients a stalk can start several ears, but at the end of the summer will take back whatever went into the extra ears to fill up the main ear. And if the corn is planted approaching the maximum plant density for the available nutrition (including sun and water) the tip kernels will be absorbed too, called tip back. Optimum planting rates look for a little tip back (maybe 3/4 inch) to show there are enough corn stalks for the available nutrition.

Gerald J.

I have also heard that all ears of corn have an EVEN number rows of kernels. Greg

Plant 30.000 seeds to the acre.

28,000 plants grow an ear.

1/2 pound ear is not uncommon.

14,000 pounds divided by 56 pounds to the bushel.

You could end up with 250 bushels per acre with no problem. If mother nature cooperates.

And yes all ears will have an even number of rows of kernals, running the long way on an ear, not around.. 16 and 18 most common in this area. I have seen 22 rows on an ear.

Gary

And another thing.each one of those silk strings goes to an individual kernel.

Gordo

Speaking strictly about sweet corn in my area of SC, spacing determines the number of ears, assuming adequate fertilizer and water. Stalks spaced a foot or a little more apart will produce 2 ears per stalk. Plant them 6-8 inches apart each stalk will produce 1 ear. Rarely in a wet year they will produce 3 ears.

Corn for grain is designed to produce a maximum amount of grain AND to stand up until combined. This objective is best met with the 1 large ear per stalk. Notice the occasional post on here by someone combining corn with the ground frozen and snow on the ground. The Sweet corn stalks in my garden are flat on the ground now and have been for some time.

KEH

Current field corn planted at dense rates-26,000 to 30,000 kernels per acre usually get one good ear per stalk. Field plots for deer sometimes planted at 1/2 that rate and will sometimes get 2 fairly good ears per stalk with current hybreds- depends somewhat on fertilizer, usually food plots get very little extra. Old standards like Reeds Yellow Dent or Bloody Butcher used to be planted 14,000 to 18,000 seeds per acre and got little extra fertilizer but often lots of manure- often had a couple ears per stalk and sometimes a extra "sucker" stalk that would develope a smaller ear with full size kernals. Some people plant hard coat "Flint" corn and get 2 or more ears per stalk with light density. Some of the Amish straight run open pollinated corn will also tend to have multiple ears depending on planting density and rain during season. One thing that throws some people off is amount of water available to help fertilizer intake- a lighter density planting in Nebraska may yield better than heavy planting in dry years. A late planting or replant in Iowa or Wisconsin, Minnesota of 85 day corn to get a feed crop for cows planted at 18,000/22,000 seed/acre instead of 28,000 seeds/acre can get a fairly good ear, some times 2 and silage will feed cows through winter. Yield will be about 1/2 -2/3 heavy plant/heavy fertilizing of a 100/110 day corn but here we have wet springs and early hard frost possible, need a quicker growing variety even in normal year, 95 day about right. This year was not best planting and growing timing of rain. RN

For best yield, 'here' we plant about 32,000 maybe 34,000 kernals per acre. This gives you one good ear per stalk.

It's possible to get 3, maybe even 5 ears per stalk. But you have to plant _real_ thin to get that to happen, and none of the ears are very big.

Best yield, you want to have the ear big, and almost full - not quite - to the tip with kernals. If you filled the ear to the tip, then you planted a little too light for the conditions, shoulda had more plants per acre.

Many times the plants will start a second ear per stalk. This ends up being a waste, it never develops an ear, or any kernals. Weather conditions can make the plant a little too optimistic at the wrong time, & it tries for 2....

--->Paul

I have found one in 25 years that was an odd number of kernels around, it had 19.
seed rep took it because he had never seen one either, don't know where it ended up and if they did not see it no one will believe it.