Agriculture: harvesting maize

Harvesting: maize These Ethiopian men are sorting maize cobs following the harvest. The kernels of cobs selected at this stage may be used as seeds for sowing the following year. To improve the genetic characteristics of a maize crop, the cobs should preferably be selected on the plant. In selecting cobs from the best plants, the farmer takes into account the number of cobs on the plant, and the situation of the plant in the field. It is difficult for poor farmers to decide how much grain to save from a scarce harvest when the family needs both food to eat and grain to sell.