This stage occurs when silks are visible outside the husks. The silks serve the purpose of capturing pollen that falls from the tassel. The captured pollen grain moves down the silk to the ovule, where pollination occurs. This process takes about 24 hours.
Environmental conditions are very important during this growth stage. Stress during this time can cause poor pollination or kernel set. Lack of moisture can cause the silks to become too dry and can greatly limit their ability to transfer pollen.