Detasseling is the removal of the corn plant’s male flower, known as the tassel, located at the top of the stalk. This agricultural practice is common in large commercial fields, primarily used to control reproduction for seed production. Home gardeners often wonder if detasseling is necessary for their small patch of sweet corn. Understanding why it is done commercially clarifies whether this form of pollination control applies to the backyard harvest.
Understanding Corn Pollination
Corn (Zea mays) is a monoecious plant, meaning it has separate male and female flowers on the same stalk. The male reproductive organ is the tassel, which emerges from the top of the stalk and produces pollen. The female organs are the silks, which grow from the developing ears lower down and are receptive to the pollen.
Each strand of silk connects to a single potential kernel and must capture a pollen grain to be fertilized. Corn relies on the wind to transfer pollen from the tassel to the silks, ensuring fertilization and a fully developed ear.
Necessity of Detasseling in a Home Garden
For the average home gardener growing sweet corn for consumption, detasseling is not required and can prevent a successful harvest. Removing the tassel stops the plant from producing the pollen necessary to fertilize the silks and form kernels. Detasseling all plants will stop the entire crop from producing edible ears.
Commercial Use
Detasseling is primarily used in commercial agriculture for hybridization, which is the controlled cross-pollination of two specific varieties to create a high-yield hybrid seed. In seed production fields, tassels are removed from one variety (the female row) so its silks are pollinated only by a different, nearby variety (the male row). This ensures genetic purity and desired traits in the harvested seed.
Seed Saving
A home gardener might consider detasseling only when intentionally trying to save pure seed from two different corn varieties planted close together. Removing the tassels from one variety ensures that the kernels grown on that plant are fertilized only by the pollen from the other variety. Otherwise, for growing corn to eat, natural wind pollination is necessary to achieve fully-filled ears.
Technique and Timing for Detasseling
If detasseling is necessary for a seed-saving project, the correct technique and timing must be observed to avoid damaging the plant. The tassel must be removed after it has fully emerged from the uppermost leaves but before it begins to shed pollen. This window is relatively short, often just a few days.
To remove the tassel, firmly grasp the tassel stalk just above the highest leaf, where it joins the main stalk. Pull the tassel straight up and out of the whorl with a quick motion. It is important to remove the entire tassel structure without tearing the upper leaves, as these are essential for photosynthesis and ear development.
The most effective time to perform this task is in the morning, after the corn plant has dried, to reduce the chance of spreading diseases between stalks. Removing the male flower before it sheds pollen effectively sterilizes that specific plant, forcing it to be pollinated by a neighboring, desired variety. Improper or delayed detasseling can compromise the genetic purity of the resulting kernels.