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Around 24 to 26 days after silking, the milky inner fluid (the starchy liquid) within kernels attains a dough-like consistency. At this stage, kernels contain approximately 70% moisture and achieve about 30 to 50% of their mature dry weight. Four embryonic leaves also form during this phase. Once the kernels reach the dough stage, the likelihood of kernel abortion decreases significantly. This suggests that the critical period for determining the number of kernels becomes less relevant after the R3 or R4 stage. Conversely, the critical period for establishing kernel weight is especially important during the R3 and R4 stages. Severe environmental stresses during these stages can influence the final yield, typically reducing kernel weight more than the kernel number.

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