sweet corn

[Tormato]

I've had corn (Hawaiian #9) tassle almost 30 days before the silk appeared. I collected the pollen in a large tub, poured that into a small sealable container and froze it until the silks were ready.

Gary

[Itoero]

And did you get corn?

The corn is definitely growing.
There are 5 ears on each plant, but I pollinated only the 3 highest.
Should I remove the lowest, unpollinated ears or not?
It's maybe better not to damage the plant.

[ChrisK]

Just leave them be!

Originally Posted by Itoero

And did you get corn?


Should I remove the lowest, unpollinated ears or not?
It's maybe better not to damage the plant.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by Itoero

And did you get corn?

The corn is definitely growing.
There are 5 ears on each plant, but I pollinated only the 3 highest.
Should I remove the lowest, unpollinated ears or not?
It's maybe better not to damage the plant.

Yes, I got corn. I was lucky that it was a long hot summer. What is usually a 90-100 DTM corn, for me, took 120-130 days.

The pollen was a bit clumpy after being frozen, so it took a little exta effort to spread it on the silks. It was also the first year I used the block planting method. Since I now always gather pollen to assist nature, I like to plant corn in single or double rows so that I have easy access to the plants from either side. Clumpy pollen is a bit difficult to spread when leaning and reaching in three or four dense rows.

Gary

[ChrisK]

Depending on how long your anthesis silk interval is you can also harvest tassels and put them in a refrigerator in Florallife. This slows down the pollen shed and also maintains pollen viability, which is notoriously variable in frozen maize pollen. A trick used in greenhouses.

Originally Posted by Tormato

Yes, I got corn. I was lucky that it was a long hot summer. What is usually a 90-100 DTM corn, for me, took 120-130 days.

The pollen was a bit clumpy after being frozen, so it took a little exta effort to spread it on the silks. It was also the first year I used the block planting method. Since I now always gather pollen to assist nature, I like to plant corn in single or double rows so that I have easy access to the plants from either side. Clumpy pollen is a bit difficult to spread when leaning and reaching in three or four dense rows.

Gary

[Tormato]

Chris,

Would you know if pollen would still be good after 30 days in the fridge?

Gary

[ChrisK]

Not sure. I'll have to look up the paper, but I also think they did their test with relatively elite germplasm. I would wonder why you have such a long ASI though. A long ASI usually indicates stress and 30 days would indicate severe stress.

Are you growing old hybrids or OP lines (no clue what Hawaiian #9 is)? I ask because in most modern hybrids the ASI has been virtually eliminated under all conditions (it's one of the traits that has contributed to the massive increase in yield in the last 50 years, at least in yellow dent commodity corn)

Originally Posted by Tormato

Chris,

Would you know if pollen would still be good after 30 days in the fridge?

Gary

[syfymy5]

I was led to believe that pollen could not be kept that long. I am going to ask some people who have been growing corn a whole lot longer than me.

[ChrisK]

Here ya go. Looks like they extended pollen shed to 8 days. Keep in mind GH growth is totally different than field conditions.

http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/pmcg/10/

[Farmette]

I did not hand pollinate my corn. It was pretty windy and I thought that would do it. Now, the silks are starting to turn brown. The ears do not look fat yet; can they still put on kernels after the silks start to turn/

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Farmette

I did not hand pollinate my corn. It was pretty windy and I thought that would do it. Now, the silks are starting to turn brown. The ears do not look fat yet; can they still put on kernels after the silks start to turn/

The kernels should start plumping soon and be ready to pick once the silks outside the husk are completely dry. You can strip the husk on one ear partly to check.

[ChrisK]

Found some info on your corn line in case you are interested:

"‘Hawaiian Supersweet #9’ (Hi bt Comp 3) became integral to development of most Hawaii inbreds (Brewbaker, 1977). It combined good quality with exceptional tolerance of earworms and of fusarium-related seedling and ear rots. Advanced through 14 cycles of recurrent selection since its release, this variety continues to be marketed and grown around the tropics. Two cycles of selection in this composite involved field bite tests of 400 selfs of superior plants with 100 ears chosen for advanced breeding. This resulted in major advance for tenderness (Ito and Brewbaker, 1981) and for uniformity in color and appearance. A conversion to silvery white kernels was completed and marketed as ‘Hawaiian Supersweet Silver’ (Hi bt Comp 9) that has served in the conversions of inbreds to white kernels (Brewbaker, 2006). "


More info here:

http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/...esid=33/7/1262


Does not seem like it would be the best variety for MA.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

Found some info on your corn line in case you are interested:

"‘Hawaiian Supersweet #9’ (Hi bt Comp 3) became integral to development of most Hawaii inbreds (Brewbaker, 1977). It combined good quality with exceptional tolerance of earworms and of fusarium-related seedling and ear rots. Advanced through 14 cycles of recurrent selection since its release, this variety continues to be marketed and grown around the tropics. Two cycles of selection in this composite involved field bite tests of 400 selfs of superior plants with 100 ears chosen for advanced breeding. This resulted in major advance for tenderness (Ito and Brewbaker, 1981) and for uniformity in color and appearance. A conversion to silvery white kernels was completed and marketed as ‘Hawaiian Supersweet Silver’ (Hi bt Comp 9) that has served in the conversions of inbreds to white kernels (Brewbaker, 2006). "


More info here:

http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/...esid=33/7/1262


Does not seem like it would be the best variety for MA.

No, it's not. But, I like a challenge.

The first year trialed it looked stressed out, growing in very poor soil (which might have delayed the silks?). Since improving the soil, I have had no problems other than wind. Hawaiian Supersweet #9 has very thin stalks, with a plant height (including tassles) of 9 1/2 to 11 feet in my garden. I have to do a modified Florida weave for support. Also, I don't have a field of this stuff, just 50-100 plants. It's been a few years since it was last in my garden, so maybe I'll try it again in 2014.

It think it is still the only OP supersweet that is somewhat readily available. There are maybe a few other OP supersweets out there (bred for a South Pacific climate), but I've never seen them offered anywhere.

Friends and neighbors think it's kind of cool to try corn that comes from Hawaii.
In my opinion, it is the OP with the closest taste to the modern supersweet hybrids, if that's your thing.

Gary

[Itoero]

I just ate the first corn from my garden
Only some kernels on top where not fully grown, so hand pollination was ok.
Very tasty but less sweet then I thought it would be.
When is corn at his sweetest?
The silks still turn white once they disappear into the ear...

[ChrisK]

Between 22-27 days after pollination is a good time frame. You can peel back the husk gently before then though and see if they are plump enough. If not, close it back up and let it go a few more days!

Originally Posted by Itoero

I just ate the first corn from my garden
Only some kernels on top where not fully grown, so hand pollination was ok.
Very tasty but less sweet then I thought it would be.
When is corn at his sweetest?
The silks still turn white once they disappear into the ear...