Thanks

What is most important to answering this question is knowing the town near which this Chilean maize grew. The widest ear of chile is Choclero, and the longest ear is Cristalino Norteno. Thirdly, seed could be obtained from:

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/swish/accboth?query=choclero+mays &sort=swishrank&si=0&.cgifields=si&.cgifields=reverse

When I saw the corn, it was always in the supermarket, so I have no idea where it was really from. I was in Santiago, so it could have been anywhere, but I suspect it was from Maule or O'Higgins.

Regarding the link you added - what are the rules about requesting germ plasm? Do you need to be an actual scientist to get any? I didn't see anything about cost either. Any info you have would be most welcome. The seeds that you linked to are likely the right thing - it's called choclo choclero in Chile.

Thanks!

One point I would like to bring up about the USDA. When you fill out your form to obtain the seed, I recommend you list an Organization. If you put 'Wesserma Seeds' (or something like that) you won't ever get hassled. You also need to fill out the the section for intended use. Just say something using the words 'breeding' or 'research' and you are golden. Otherwise they will send you a one time only order. You'll get a letter saying it's a one time offer to gardeners. If you do it like I said, then you can get as many orders as you want. Of course, you only order one accession once, and not many times. You need to save the seed from the accessions you obtain. You can make multiple orders to get different accessions.

In my expert opinion, some of the tropical corn varieties are hard to save seed unless you jump through hoops. What I recommend you do; so you are not dependent on tropical corn pimps hustling their proprietary tallest corn, is to find your self some very large temperate varieties and cross it with your tropicals. Once you can get consistent ears on your plants, then you can do selecting for taller ones. R.H Shumway has one called Goliath Silage. The current Iowa State Fair champ used Goliath to get a 18'4" plant.
https://www.rhshumway.com/shumsite/shumsiteviewproduct.aspx?ProductID= 16954

USDA also has some nice sized temperate corn

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1026853
Local name: White Dent.
Native white dent with over 30 years of culture on the Sallee and Singer farm.
GROWTH PLTHEIGHT 530
MORPHOLOGY EARHEIGHT 115
TAXONOMIC PRIMRACE corn belt dent

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=Ames+22133
Ames 22133
Unverified name: Imperial White.
Narrative
Grain: Medium size grain, white dent. Medium hard texture. Plants: Tall (about 15-17 feet) with high ears (some 8 to 9 feet). White open-pollinate maize variety called "Imperial White" Grown By Tom Lemoine near New Rhodes, Louisiana for over 50 years. The original seed was passed on to him from his father. Medium size grain, white dent. Tom Lemoine uses some ears for fresh roasting a "good eating corn". Collected late June 1994.

There are many intersting tropicals on USDA besides Jala
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http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1333879
Local name: Olotillo blanco.
Value: TALL-PLANT-EXTREME_YES
Qualifier: INSTANCE_001. - First miscellaneous observation made under this environment. Comment: J. Hanneman, Michigan, APR 1999. 6.94 meters (22.8 ft.).

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1374062
Other or unclassified name: Trinidad 12.
Value: TALL-PLANT-EXTREME_YES
Qualifier: INSTANCE_001. - First miscellaneous observation made under this environment. Comment: J. Hanneman, Michigan, APR 1999. 5.76 meters (18.9 ft.).

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1373836
PI 478900 mays
one of tallest accessions in cimmyt database on singer
Other or unclassified name: San Luis Potosi 107.
Collected in: Mexico

besides corn, you can get some other large plants from the USDA

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Teosinte

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1087292
Zea nicaraguensis
Dense 1 ha stand, 3-5 meters tall, once ubiquitous, now very rare in region

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1336870
Zea mays subsp. huehuetenangensis
*my notes* grows 5 meters in native environment. Someone in SE USA grew one to 18 ft.

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Sunflowers

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1327441
Collected in: Arizona, United States
Sand dune dooryard garden. Plants to 5m tall, some multi-headed. Achenes striped. Introduced cultivar.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1080519
Collected in: Nebraska, United States
Seed collected from 28 plants. Population scattered along disturbed area of the roadside ditch, in channel. Plants extremely tall, some 4 to 5 m, branching equally up and down the stem, looking uniformly spaced. Heads as large as we have seen, but definately are still wild. Seed set good, some insect damage to head (Suleima) no apparent rust.

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Pearl Millet

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1456591
Plants flower 64 to 68 days after planting. Plants average 4.4 and 3.2 feet tall, planted June 13 and July 18, respectively. Seeds brownish-gray in color.

ttp://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1484057
Strongly photoperiod sensitive, takes about 90 d to flower and 130 d to maturity for mid-June planting. Plant height about 3.3m, ear head length 31 to 37cm, candle shaped, globular light gray grain (9-11 g 1000 seed-1) with a vitreous endosperm.

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Amaranth

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1448048
Amaranthus australis
Local name: Giant Amaranth.
Collected in: Florida, United States
Large plants, up to 485 cm tall. Basal circumference 24 to 56 cm. The stems are hollow, with stem walls 1.5 cm thick, purple-red or green. If water level is high, roots grow out of the stem. Plants dioecious, still in flower at collection time. Low water level during germination is said to favor establishment. Frosts in October are said to kill the plants yearly.
GROWTH PLNTHEIGHT 330.00
Value: Tall growing
Sample size: 26. Comment: row 128 An individual plant grew to 453 cm (15 ft 1 inch) measured and was accepted as the Guinness World's Record Tallest Amaranth. This accession grows unusually tall, but other A. australis and A. cannabinus accessions are similar..
*IMAGE* http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/nc7/accvoucher/Amaranthus/PI_50000 0-PI_599999/PI_553076/i/PI_553076_89ncao51_SD_PL_FL_2005-08-15_01.jpg

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Sorghum

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1245110
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Institute identifier: IS 11331.
Collected in: Ethiopia (Comment: Collected Sept.-Nov., 1967)
Plant 3.0 m high. Head open, lax, rachis retracted, crookneck; glumes two-thirds of seed, light tan, awned; seed small, white.
GROWTH PLANTHGT 730.0 (*my note* ?? typo? )

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=329722
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Institute identifier: IS 11458.
Collected in: Ethiopia (Comment: Collected Sept.-Nov., 1967)
Plants 18 m tall. Heads open, lax, 230 cm long. Glumes nearly cover seed, awned. Seed brown light brown. This collection represents the variation in the field.
PHENOLOGY FLOWERING photoperiod sensitive
GROWTH PLANTHGT 450.0
my image (all tall plants left of me - not in bloom) http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/sorghum14ft_10_13_06.JPG

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=482936
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Donor identifier: TGR 2015.
Collected in: Zimbabwe (Comment: Received through IBPGR)
Race Kafir/Guinea. Plants very tall.
PHENOLOGY FLOWERING photoperiod sensitive
PHENOLOGY PHOTOPER sensitive, few heads, no seed production
my image (one plant on right - in bloom) http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/sorghum14ft_10_13_06.JPG

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1210101
Unverified name: Galang Oualema.
Collected in: Chad
Plants grow to 5 meters high, mature in 5.5 months; panicles very long; glumes open; seeds crosswise, white, flat, without brown hulls, hard.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1210102
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Unverified name: Mir N'da'.
Collected in: Chad
Plants grow to 5 meters high, mature in 5.5 months; panicles very long; glumes fully open; seeds crosswise, white, flat, without brown hulls, hard.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1210121
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Unverified name: Mir.
Collected in: Chad
Plants grow to 5 meters high, mature in 5 months; stalks slender; panicles long, lax; seeds transverse, red, starchy, with brown hulls.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1244782
Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.) Stapf POACEAE
Institute identifier: IS 11010.
Collected in: Ethiopia (Comment: Seed collected Sept. - Nov., 1967)
Plants 9 m high.
PHENOLOGY PHOTOPER very insensitive, headed out, seed produced

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There are many more than just this, but it should give you a good start.

It's not you that I was talking about. I've received seeds from you before. In fact, you've been very helpful to me. I appreciate you sending me seeds and letting me know what you sent me.
What I'm talking about certain individuals who go around just calling their corn "tallest corn" and not letting anyone know what race of corn it is in fear that someone else might get their own and not depend on them for the corn anymore. That is what I meant by a "corn pimp".