detasselling
Removing corn tassels
Detasselling is the removal of tassels—the pollen-producing flowers—from corn plants to control cross-pollination in hybrid seed production.
Fields of detasselling crews, often teenagers doing summer work, move through rows pulling or cutting tassels by hand: I spent every July detasselling corn in Iowa.
Also spelled detasseling.
Lustrous woven garments
- earsAuditory organs, paired
- kernelsSeeds within husks
- pollinationFlower reproductive transfer
- huskDry seed covering
cob · stalk · rows · shuck · maize · cultivar · hybrid seed · seed corn
Fertilization between different plants
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
- crossbreedingMating unlike organisms
- traitsDistinguishing personal features
- hybrid vigorEnhanced traits from crossbreeding
seed production · seed stock · breeding program · outcrossing · selective breeding
Research conducted on location
- summer jobTemporary warm-weather employment
- youth employmentJobs for young people
- seasonal workJobs tied to cycles
- crewsWorking groups aboard
hot weather · early mornings · piece rate · Midwest · July · August · long hours · crew leader
silks
Lustrous woven garments
- earsAuditory organs, paired
- kernelsSeeds within husks
- pollinationFlower reproductive transfer
husk · cob · stalk · rows · shuck · maize · cultivar · hybrid seed · seed corn · pollen
cross-pollination
Fertilization between different plants
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
- crossbreedingMating unlike organisms
- traitsDistinguishing personal features
seed production · hybrid vigor · seed stock · breeding program · outcrossing · selective breeding
fieldwork
Research conducted on location
- summer jobTemporary warm-weather employment
- youth employmentJobs for young people
- seasonal workJobs tied to cycles
crews · hot weather · early mornings · piece rate · Midwest · July · August · long hours · crew leader · farm labor
detassellingharvesting
Gathering mature crops
reaping · planting · sowing · seeding · pollinating
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