A corncob is the central core of a maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L.) ear. The corn plant's ear is also considered a "cob" or "pole" but it is not fully a "pole" until the ear is shucked, or removed from the plant material around the ear. Every row of corn on a corncob has the same number of kernels.
Young ears, also called baby corn, can be consumed raw, but as the plant matures the cob becomes tougher until only the kernels are edible. When harvesting corn the corncob may be collected as part of the ear or may be left as part of the corn stover in the field.
Corncobs find use in the following applications:
Corncob is also commonly used as bedding for rodents used as subjects in research experiments, usually supplemented with other types of bedding like cotton fiber intended to reduce respiratory problems blamed in turn on all-corncob bedding and bacterial growth.
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