Continuing, I will expand on the segment on maize morphology, the upper part of the plant terminates in a male inflorescence or panicle; this has a prominent central spike and several lateral branching male flowers, all of which produce abundant pollen grains. Comparisons of the essential morphological characteristics of the maize plant with those of closely related species such as teosinte and Tripsacum.
▶ The various parts of the seed and embryo of maize A correct description of the parts of the maize seedling, when the seed is sown in moist soil, absorbs water and begins to swell, a process that proceeds more rapidly at high temperatures such as those prevailing in many tropical environments in the wet season; under these conditions, the seed begins to germinate in two or three days.
▶ Credits: plantasyhongos – [Image of Public Domain]
In winter or in conditions of low soil temperatures such as in the highlands, the process is delayed and radicle emergence may occur after six to eight days, depending on soil temperature. Contrary to this, soil temperature in some environments can be so high that the seed may die, especially if moisture is lacking, for example in rainfed corn planted in dry soil awaiting rains.
When germination begins, the coleorriza elongates and emerges through the pericarp; then the radicle appears through the coleorriza. Immediately after radicle emergence, three or four seminal roots also emerge. At the same time or very soon after, the coleoptile-covered plumule emerges at the other end of the seed; the coleoptile is pushed upward by the rapid elongation of the mesocotyl, which pushes the nascent coleoptile toward the soil surface.
The mesocotyl plays an important role in the emergence of the maize seedling above the soil surface and has great plasticity over the rate of growth and the length to which it reaches. When the end of the coleoptile emerges through the soil surface, mesocotyl elongation ceases, the plumule emerges through the coleoptile and appears above the soil.
NOTE: Reference material.