Fig. 3. (a) Mean growth rate of the topmost ear (EGR_s) vs. 1.5-g d^–1 intervals of plant growth rate during a period bracketing silking (PGR_s) and (b) relationship between kernel number of the topmost ear and ear growth rate during a period bracketing silking of an older (DKF880) and a newer hybrid (DK752) in Exp. 2. In Fig. 3a values at the x axis indicate the upper limit of the interval. Bars indicate standard error. Number of individuals ranged from 10 to 100 depending on the range of PGR_s. **indicates significant differences between hybrids within the range of PGR_s at P < 0.05. In Fig. 3b, curves are the fitted Model 2 for DKF880 (gray line) and DK752 (black line). Fitted regression were: DKF880, KN₁ = 1807 ± 189.9 x (EGR_s – 0.028 ± 0.01)/[1 + 2.77 ± 0.464 x (EGR_s – 0.028 ± 0.01)] if EGR_s x_t and KN₁ = 0 if EGR_s < x_t, R² = 0.78; DK752, KN₁ = 1191 ± 89.5 x (EGR_s – 0.007 ± 0.019)/[1 + 0.76 ± 0.12 x (EGR_s – 0.007 ± 0.019)] if EGR_s x_t and KN₁ = 0 if EGR_s < x_t, R² = 0.89. The regressions were significant at P < 0.05.