You can count the rings on a tree; you can look at a horse’s teeth; but to know the age of a corn plant, you’ll have to go deeper. That’s what David Stacklin showed his students at Penta Career Center, splitting corn stalks to determine the growth stage.
Penta Career Center has a school farm on the grounds, so the class toured the farm and examined the crops. Next, the class worked through the leaf collar method activity. “It was a great hands-on activity for them,” said Stacklin.
When the corn stalk is split, leaf nodes are visible, allowing determination of the plant’s developmental stage. Farmers use this knowledge to determine when inputs such as fertilizer or nitrogen should be applied to boost yield.
Stacklin said, “The resources and materials provided by Ohio Corn & Wheat at the Feed the World summer workshop will allow me to increase the rigor of my lessons, and students will learn about corn, an important Ohio renewable resource.”
Registration is now open for the 2017 Feed the World workshops. Sign up today!