1. Kansas Corn: Explore Corn

2. Introduce yourselves to your team… 5 questions
Let’s Play A Game!
Introduce yourselves to your team… 5 questions

3. Name 2 of the 4 basic types of corn…
Question 1
Name 2 of the 4 basic types of corn…

4. Question 1

5. How long has corn been around?
Question 2
How long has corn been around?

6. Question 2
Answer: 7,000 years from Central Mexico… or sweet corn developed in 1700s

7. How many kernels are on an average ear of corn?
Question 3
How many kernels are on an average ear of corn?

8. Question 3
Answer: 600 to 800 kernels

9. About how many corn plants can grow on an acre of land?
Question 4
About how many corn plants can grow on an acre of land?

10. Question 4
Answer: 22,000 to 35,000 plants

11. The majority of grown corn is used for what purpose?
Question 5
The majority of grown corn is used for what purpose?

12. Answer: Livestock feed
Question 5
Answer: Livestock feed

13. How much does a pirate pay for an ear of corn?
Question 6 – JOKE!
How much does a pirate pay for an ear of corn?

14. Question 6 – JOKE!
Answer: A buccaneer

15. Explore Corn Breakdown
Corn background and uses
Stages of life of a corn plant
Leaf Collar Method - determine SOME stages of life just by looking at plant
Dissect corn plant!

16. Explore Corn Turn to “Explore Corn” article in your binder (T7).
Introduce yourself to the people at your table.
Read article with your group.
Using whiteboard… or paper… at table, draw 5 pictures that represent 5 important facts from the article.
Time: 10 minutes

17. Corn Staging and Leaf Collar Exploration
Explore Corn
Corn Staging and Leaf Collar Exploration

18. Corn Staging & Leaf Collar (Websites in your packet and student sheet)

19. Stages of Corn Life

20. Corn Staging & Leaf Collar (Turn to S2)

21. Corn Staging & Leaf Collar
Protective outer coating of seed

22. Corn Staging & Leaf Collar
Protective outer coating of seed
Moves downward from seed… helps with water uptake

23. Corn Staging & Leaf Collar
Pushes up out of seed… future leaf
Protective outer coating of seed
Moves downward from seed… helps with water uptake

24. Corn Staging & Leaf Collar
Pushes up out of seed… future leaf
Protective outer coating of seed
Moves downward from seed… helps with water uptake
Water uptake system

25. Corn Staging & Leaf Collar
Pushes up out of seed… future leaf
Connects coleoptile & seed… helps lift coleoptile to surface
Protective outer coating of seed
Moves downward from seed… helps with water uptake
Water uptake system

26. VE – Vegetative Emergence
Coleoptile breaks the surface
Can take up to 2 weeks (5 days under ideal conditions)

27. Difficult to distinguish from VE… collar around leaf distinguishes
V1 – 1st collar showing
Difficult to distinguish from VE… collar around leaf distinguishes

28. V3 – 3rd collar showing Much of growth still below surface 3 collars
All of the leaves and ear shoots (potential ears) plant will ever produce form inside stalk from V3 to V5!

29. V4 – V9
V7-V8: Number of kernel rows is being determined by plant
V9: Tassel begins to develop…

30. V10 – V15 V10: New leaves produced about every 2-3 days
V15: New leaves produces about every 1-2 days… tip of tassel might be visible

31. V16 – V18 V18: Silks from ear location begin elongating
Silking about 1 week away... Then corn cob making begins!

32. VT - Tasseling VT: Tassel fully visible… time for reproduction!
Plant now very vulnerable to hail damage! We need fertilization with tassel and silks to happen…

33. R1 - Silking Silk fully visible outside of husk
Silks catch falling pollen…transfer pollen down ovule for fertilization.
All silks usually fertilized in about 2-3 days

34. R2 – Blistering (10 to 14 days after silking)
Kernels are white on outside and resemble a… blister!
Cob is close to full size
Kernels begin to accumulate matter… kernels about 85% moisture

35. R3 – Milk (18 to 22 days after silking)
Kernels are turning yellow
Inner fluid now milky white
Silks becoming dry
Sweet corn picked in this stage

36. R4 – Dough (24 to 28 days after silking)
Inner milky white fluid now a “doughy” consistency
Kernels at edge of cob begin to “dent” toward end of stage

37. R5 (35 to 42 days after silking)
Kernels are dented.
Drying occurs from top of cob to bottom.

38. R6 – Physiological Maturity (55 to 65 days after silking)
Maximum dry weight.

39. Ear of Corn Exploration – Page S5
Work through student worksheet
Time: 10 minutes

40. Corn Structure Review
Tassel
Kernel
Shank
Husk
Stalk
Silks
Ear
Root

41. Corn Plant Dissection – Page T16,S7, S8)
Work through student worksheet
Time: 20 minutes