This document provides information on the botany and morphology of maize. It describes the taxonomy of maize, placing it in the plant kingdom. It also details the nutritional value of maize and the plant morphology, including the leaves, roots, reproductive structures, seeds, and life cycle. The reproductive structures include the male tassel and female ear. Pollination occurs when pollen from the tassel falls on the silks of the ear. The life cycle takes 120-150 days from planting to maturity.

1. Botany of Maize

2. Taxonomy of Maize
Kingdom Plantae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plant
Superdivision Spermatophyta Seed plant
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plant
Class Liliopsida Monocotyledon
Subclass Commelinidae
Order Cyperales
Family Poaceae Grass family
Genus Zea
Species Zea mays
Sunspecies Z. Mays supsp. mays

3. Nutritional Value per 100g of Maize
Energy 360 kJ (86 kcal)
Carbohydrates 18.7 g
Fat 1.35 g
Protein 3.27 g
Water 75.96 g
Zinc 0.46 mg
Phosphorus 89 mg
Potassium 270 mg
Vitamin C 6.8 mg
Iron 0.52 mg
Magnesium 37 mg

4. Plant Morphology of Maize
• 1 to 4 meter tall
• Approximately 30 leaves
• A erect stalk- like structure
• Is a meristem
• Sheath surrounding the stalk
• Expanded blade by blade joint or
collar
• Has nodes and internodes

5. Leaves Morphology of Maize
• Leaves are broad and a single
leaf.
• Leaves are arranged in two
vertical rows on the opposite
sides of an axis. (distichous)
• Long, large, alternate, parallel
veins

6. Root Morphology of Maize
• Fibrous root
• Brace root
~ form at the bottom of the stalk.
~ support the plant and scavenge top levels of soil
for moisture and nutrients.
• Seminal root
~ nodal roots originate from scutellar node.
~ sustain seedling development by virtue water
intake.

7. Reproductive Morphology of Maize
• Male & female inflorescence located at
different part.
• Male inflorescence called tassel.
• Female inflorescence called ear.
• Maize pollen dispersion by wind.
• Annual plant.

8. • Anther - male reproductive
part of the corn plant.
• Consists of several small
branches, along which small
flowers grow.
• The flowers release pollen
grains, which contain the
male sex cell.

9. • The ear is the female reproductive part of a
corn plant.
• Ears develop from "shanks," which are stalk-like
structures that grow from the plant's leaf
nodes.
• A corn plant may produce many ears, but the
uppermost ear will grow to be the largest.
• The ear consists of a cob, eggs that eventually
develop into kernels and silks.
• Pollination occurs when pollen from the male
tassel falls on the female silks.

10. Corn Seed of Maize
A protective sheath enclosing
the shoot tip and the
embryonic leaves of grasses
The triploid nutritive
tissues formed within
the embryo seed plants

11. Its Structure & Function
Structure Function
Stamen Pollen producing reproductive organ which are referred to as
androecium.
Stalk Also known as filament, the part of the stamen the anther
develop.
Anther The terminal part of a stamen which the pollens are produced.
Style Slender part of the pistil, situated between the ovary and
stigma.
Stigma The receptive apex of the pistil of a flower on which pollen is
deposited.
Sheath Part of leaf originating from the node and running parallel to
the culm or stem.
Ligule A membrane located between the culm and the leaf blade.

12. Life Cycle of Maize
(a) The haploid gametophytic stage .
(b) Male gametogenesis - the microspore (pollen
grain) undergoes two mitotic divisions to produce
a three-celled gametophyte.
• Female gametogenesis -the megaspore undergoes
three free-nuclear divisions followed by
cellularization into seven cells, to produce a
haploid megagametophyte.
• Egg cell becomes the embryo and fertilization by
the second sperm of the central cell with the two
polar nuclei produces the triploid endosperm
(dashed arrows).
(c) Shows the endosperm and embryo, both of which
are products of the double fertilization. The
outermost layer of the endosperm is the aleurone.
The entire kernel is covered with a diploid
maternal tissue called pericarp.

13.  Corn has a life cycle of 120 to 150 days. It is best to plant after there
is no more freezing and it is above 50 degrees.
 It will grow to 3 to 10 feet tall during its cycle. There are several
types of kernels to use such as yellow, red, orange, black and bronze.
 For the corn to begin to germinate it has to have lots of water, 30
percent to be exact. The kernels must be planted 2 to 3 inches.