Do your ears hang low? Plant breeders say a good disease package
is a more important selection standard than whether ear position
is up or down. Orientation of corn ears is not a primary
selection factor Listen up. Some farmers believe erect or
upright ears are slower to dry and are more prone to develop ear
molds or exhibit kernel sprouting. Ohio State University
agronomist Peter Thomison says there is some truth to the
theory. Hybrids that tip the ear down at harvest do not hold
water in the husks and might have reduced risk of ear molds. The
problem is, you can’t depend on droop. "Our preliminary results
suggest that in addition to hybrid genetics, other factors like
varying growing conditions and plant population can affect ear
orientation," Thomison says. Just because a hybrid has a certain
ear position one year doesn’t mean it will be that way the next.
Thomison says ears of corn normally remain erect until sometime
after physiological maturity (black layer development) has
occurred, after which ear sha