Each tassel produces 2–5 million pollen grains. One acre of a cornfield may contain 20,000 to 30,000 corn plants, producing up to 68 kg (approximately 150 pounds) of pollen in a single growing season. Each ear has about 1,000 carpellate flowers, although only about 400 seed containing kernels are produced on the average ear.

The pollents ovule ratio (P/O) in wind-pollinated plants is often greater than 1,000 (1,000 pollen grains:1 ovule). For example, horse chestnut has a P/O of 450,000 and oak has a P/O of 600,000. If 4 million grains of pollen are produced per tassel, what is the ratio of pollen to ovules in an average corn plant bearing one tassel and one ear?