Pollination should be fine. But the seeds become hybrids; but since most corn seeds are already hybrids, as you were told by the vendor, they are not supposed to be replanted. But if you do plant seeds that you saved from hybrids, you will get unpredictable outcome and most probably it is not as good as the hybrids. Read "hybrid seed" in Wikipedia you will get more information.

"Can I plant a different variety of corn in those missing areas, or will that screw up the pollinating, or anything else. "

Yeah not a good idea. You'll get cross-pollinating unless they just happen to be varieties with totally different DTM. And even in that case they will be so irregularly spaced that they will pollinate themselves poorly.

Since it is the resulting seeds you eat on corn all the characteristics of both varieties will be altered negatively, Corn is unique in vegetables as it is the only crop that is affected the first year by cross-pollination. So saving seed from corn isn't usually done. That seed was a hybrid to begin with and has now been "hybridized" yet again by cross pollination.

If possible just buy another packet of the same variety you used to plant, assuming you know what it was, and use that to fill in the blanks. Otherwise just take what you get to eat from the first planting but do not save any for re-planting.

Hope this makes sense.

Dave

OK thanks all.

“Corn is unique in vegetables as it is the only crop that is affected the first year by cross-pollination”－－new knowledge learnt, thanks Dave! Curious about why.

It is one the few vegetables where you actually eat the seeds, not the root, stalk, fruit, leaves,or tubers. Only seeds are affected in first year by cross polination. While you can interplant corn of the same type. You really have to be aware of the type.For example an Sh 2 crossed with an Su will be almost inedible. On the other hand, if you planted a long season corn like Silver Queen, noticed lots of missing places you could replant with Silver King. There is sufficient difference in the DTM to allow them to mature at the same time. It is tricky and unless you have considerable experience in growing different varieties of sweet corn best left alone.

" Curious about why."

First because it isn't self-fertile like most common vegetables are. Second, because anytime there is cross-pollination it is the seeds that are affected. The corn kernels are the seeds.

So unlike other common vegetables where you eat the fruit, say squash which also isn't self-fertile or tomatoes or snap beans which are, the seed may have been altered genetically by the crossing but you wouldn't have any way of knowing that until you planted them the next year and got different results. With corn the kernels (the seeds) you are eating will show any alterations in color, kernel size, flavor, distribution, etc. immediately.

Farmer Dill beat me to it. ;-)

Thanks, farmer dill and Dave. Totally addressed my curiosity.

Excellent answers, guys!