Planting a range of hybrids with different silking maturity dates may help spread the risk of heat or moisture stress occurring during flowering. Silks should emerge from the ear shoots within a day or two after the beginning of pollen shed. Silk emergence in corn is often delayed when plants are subjected to considerable moisture stress. If you have the opportunity to observe a variety plot that is under moisture stress, make sure you pay attention to how well silk emergence occurs in the various hybrids. Hybrids can differ significantly in their ability to tolerate moisture stress and continue to elongate silks.
Corn reaches it maximum plant height soon after tasseling occurs.
Unless your interest is primarily silage production, increasing plant height should not be a major concern. Generally later maturity hybrids are taller than earlier maturity hybrids. Big ears placed head high on a plant translate to a high center of gravity, predisposing a plant to potential lodging. The negative effects of stalk rot on stalk lodging n the fall may be worsened by high ear placement. Hybrids vary in the angle that the leaves point toward the heavens.