Evaluation of Pollen Density on Male Inbreds Used in Hybrid Corn Production.

In this study, inbred male parent corn will be evaluated on pollen density using different methods.  Inbred male seed corn is produced by crossing a female parent, which is male sterile, and therefore incapable of self-pollinating with a male parent. In this study, inbred lines will be evaluated for emergence, plant population, pollen shed timing, pollen shed volume, and tassel architecture.  These different variables will be evaluated under high and low plant densities and as double rows with different planting dates.  This study will be done in central, IL under center pivot irrigation as well as dry land conditions. The overall goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of plant density on pollen production in hybrid males.