ABSTRACT
Some of the factors which may control ear and grain wetting are discussed. These include rainfall characteristics, ear wetting and drying rates, ear and grain structure and anatomy and the pathways of water penetration. Simply inherited characters which give some control of wetting include ear nodding angle the use of awnless lines and normal, non-compact, ears. Effects of glaucousness and glabrousness require further examination. Simple correlations of grain characters with grain water uptake are yet to be found.
