Effects of Delayed Pollination on Kernel Development in Corn

Receptivity of corn silk to pollen decreases with time. For effective pollination, it is important to study the receptivity of corn silks in relation to time elapsed after their emergence. Two commercial corn hybrids, 'Kwanganog' and 'Suwon 19', were tested for their silk growth and effects of delayed pollination on kernel development for 1 to 13 days after emergence of the first silk. Silks elongated rapidly for the first 3 days and then gradually decreased. Silks grew more than 30mm per day for the first 3 days and stopped growing on the 11 or 12th day after emergence of the first silk. Filled ear length decreased slowly for the first 8 days, and then decreased rapidly. Similar trends were observed for number of kernel rows and number of kernels per row or ear. The highest numbers of kernels per row or ear were observed when plants were pollinated 2-4 days after silking. These numbers decreased gradually up to 8 days, and then decreased sharply. This result indicates that 8 day-delayed pollination has no influence on kernel development. There were negative correlations between silk length and ear characteristics except kernel weight. Silk growth rate was positively correlated with filled ear length, row number, and kernel number. It might be assumed that delayed pollination by one week after the first silk emerged would not affect on kernel set.