Loss resulting from pulling leaves with the tassels in detasseling corn
1939
Dungan, G.H. | Woodworth, C.M.
In the commercial production of hybrid corn, tassels are usually jerked out hurriedly and frequently some of the upper leaves are pulled out with the tassel. An experiment was conducted at the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station in 1938 to obtain information concerning the loss in grain yield resulting from careless detasseling. It was found that: 1. Pulling one leaf with the tassel in detasseling corn reduced the yield of grain 8.3%; pulling two leaves lowered the yield 15.3%; pulling three leaves lowered the yield 18.1%; and pulling four leaves reduced the yield 29.2%. 2. Detasseling without removing any leaves resulted in a yield increase of 1.4% over that of non-detasseled plants. 3. The weight of 500 kernels was materially reduced by pulling leaves with the tassel. 4. These results emphasize the economic importance of detasseling the ear parent plants in breeding plats carefully so that the minimum amount of injury be inflicted.
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