Detasseling - Seed Corn Fields

Seed Corn Fields

Seed corn fields are planted in a repetitive pattern known as a "panel", "block" or "set" depending on the area of the country. There are two main planting patterns for these panels. A panel may be planted in a 6:2 pattern where six "female" rows, the rows to be detasseled, are followed by two "male" or "bull" rows, the rows that will be used to pollinate the detasseled rows. Panels are also commonly planted in a 4:1 ratio with four female rows followed by a single male row. Other, less common, patterns are also used including 4:2 and 4:1:6:1. In all cases the pattern is continued throughout the corn field. (Smith 2004, pp. 584)

All or portions of seed corn fields may be surrounded by extra rows of male plants if it is likely that wind may carry foreign pollen into the seed corn field. These extra rows are called "buffer" or "isolation" rows depending on the area of the country. Another important aspect to keeping undesirable pollen out of seed corn fields is a process known as roguing, a process that removes plants that differ from the variety intentionally planted.