Organe femelle de reproduction du maïs en cours de floraison, au Moulon

Female reproductive organ of maize in flower, in Le Moulon, in the Paris region. A tassel of silks can be seen at the top of the ear, wrapped in green spathes. Each silk will become a grain in the ear. Each grain will be fertilised by pollen, produced inside a tube inside the silk, that reaches the ovule. The colour is not indicative of maturity, but depends on the genetic traits of each variety. Scientists at the Quantitative Genetics and Evolution unit in Le Moulon are studying the genetic, epigenetic and molecular control of qualitative and quantitative characteristics and their importance in the adaptation and evolutionary history of plant species. They optimise selection processes based on target characteristics (such as growth, development and adaptation), taking advantage of breakthroughs in genomics and genetic resources, and allowing for changes in environmental conditions and farming methods.