Botany of Maize
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
• 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.
• 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.
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
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.
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.
 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.

Botany of maize

  • 1.
  • 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 per100g 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 ofMaize • 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 ofMaize • 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 ofMaize • 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 ofMaize • 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 earis 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 ofMaize 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 ofMaize (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 hasa 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.