I believe pollen (tassels) can be stored under refrigeration. If so, that can give you some leeway in timing. Check to see if this is correct.

Jim

Thanks Jim, that gives me a good option/tool.

After a bit of digging I found the basic info I need here

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/rowcrops/a1173/a1173-2.htm#Reproductive

and here.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/0128.html

Pollen release begins approximately half way to the DTM for field/dent corn (mature stage), and about 25 days before the DTM for Sweet corn (DTM = milk stage). For both, silking starts a couple of days after first pollen release. most efficient pollination occurs during the first five days of silking, best if you can get there mid morning on days 1-3 if you are going to shake the plants to help pollinate a small patch of corn.

Just out of curiosity, WHY do you want to cross them? Usually, people make a point of getting them to NOT cross.

Sue

I'm trying for a multicolored sugar enhancer sweetcorn that matures over an extended period of time, and possibly has better germination in cool soil. The sweet corns are a mix of Ruby Queen and a couple of bicolors. Crossing them should give me an extended harvest window. The flour corn is Painted Mountain, which is an unstable mixed breed OP corn adapted to harsh conditions.

The sweet corns will pollinate each other so there is no problem with taste there, and the Painted Mountain will be detasseled so as only to accept pollen. It can be used as flour corn this year and next year will produce a proportion of multi colored sweet kernels for planting the third year.

Do I have a long range goal? No, I'm just goofing around.