Growing and Pollinating Maize

Materials and Reagents

1. 1.5 ml centrifuge tubes
   
2. Soil for large pots (Multipurpose Blend)
   
3. Soil for trays and peet pots (Supersoil^® Potting Soil)
   
4. Shoot bags: ‘Lawson 217’ 5000 bags/box
   
5. Tassel bags: ‘Lawson 402’ 1000 bags/box
   Note: Colored bags are useful in a field with few pollinations.
   
6. Slow release fertilizer (Osmocote 14N-14P-14K; A90550)
   
7. Gnatrol (for insect control, available from Valent; EPA Reg. No. 73049-56)
   Note: It must be used in compliance with Worker Protection Standard, 40 CFR Part 170.
   
8. Field stakes (Hummert International)
   
9. Row cover (Agribon)
   
10. Staples
    
11. Paperclips
    

Equipment

1. Planter (Hand Jab Slim-Style Planter)
   
2. 11.35 L (3-gallon) pots (such as 3 gal pot from Viagrow available at Amazon.com)
   
3. Planting Trays (such as F1721 from T.O. Plastics available at Hummert International)
   
4. Plastic mulch for the field and drip system (Hummert International)
   
5. Drying oven set to 38 °C (such as those manufactured by Despatch)
   
6. Walk-in cooler with low humidity (such as those manufactured by Norlake)
   

Procedure