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.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - The Revival of a John Deere Combine - by The Red, John Fritz. For several years I had been driving by a farm house on the west side of Indianapolis that had a John Deere combine parked in high weeds in a lot behind the house. The gentleman no longer farmed because the entire area was developed with housing and light industry. I had stopped several times and knocked on the door but no one would answer. My curiosity was up and I wanted to contact the owner. I wanted to see what he planned to do with the combine.
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
For sale Farmall super A tractor is complete and has just been setting for awhile,it was running when pulled out of the barn,shouldn’t take to much to get it going asking 1100.00
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
