Source: Pioneer news release
*Agronomists and corn producers have long been interested in the potential to improve corn growth and yield by controlling the orientation of the corn seed in the furrow at planting.
*The reason that seed orientation could potentially influence corn growth is because of how the initial growth from the germinating seed occurs.
*The radicle root emerges near the tip of the kernel.
*The coleoptile emerges from the embryo (germ) side of the kernel and elongates in the opposite direction toward the dent end of the kernel.
*When a corn kernel planted with the tip pointed downward, the emerging radicle and coleoptile are already pointed in the direction they need to grow, without the need for the seedling to expend additional energy and time to bend their growth downward and upward, respectively.
*Furthermore, the direction of the germ side of the kernel influences the orientation of the plant’s leaves, particularly during the early vegetative stages.
*Seeds planted with the germ side perpendicular to the row will tend to have leaves oriented across the row rather than toward adjacent plants in the row.
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