Strange corn? (gardening thing)

[Togath]

So I decided to grow corn this year...
And while most of it(well, about 3 out of 4) seems to be growing normally, some of the stalks are growing kernels almost like berries;



Anyone know what's going on? Are the funky berry-kernels edible?

[AmberVael]

I don't really know anything about corn, but your image doesn't seem to be working.

I assume this is what you are trying to show?

[Togath]

Aye >_<
Should be fixed now.

[Zrak]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by stalks growing kernels "like berries." Do you mean that kernels are growing independently of ears? If so, that sounds like it could be tassle ears, which are a totally normal result of something a little wonky going on in the sexual differentiation of corn flowers.

If not, do you mean they're like berries in size, coloration, or something else? If it's coloration, what you might have is corn smut, which is a disease caused by a fungus. Infected corn will grow galls that range in color from black to grey to almost bluish. It decreases corn yield, since it feeds off the plant, but it's actually delicious in it's own right, and adds some protein to the infected plant. Most American farmers destroy it, since there's not really demand out here, but in Mexican cuisine it's a delicacy called huitlacoche that's been enjoyed since Aztec times.

[Togath]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by stalks growing kernels "like berries." Do you mean that kernels are growing independently of ears? If so, that sounds like it could be tassle ears, which are a totally normal result of something a little wonky going on in the sexual differentiation of corn flowers.

Ah, aye! That appears to be it. Thank you..

[Zrak]

No problem, this was an important first step in redeeming myself in the eyes of my family from Kansas after I worked on a farm that didn't have any corn, thereby spitting on everything they stood for.