The number of ears per plant or prolificacy is one of the most important traits in maize, since it is one of the mayor yield components. It is expect that to a higher number of earsper plantit would correspond a higher yield. This study was conducted with the purpose of evaluating both the direct response due to divergence mass selection per prolificacy ande the correlated response overthe male inflorescence. The base population was the synthetic Harinoso Mosquera I Sin. 2, and the last 9 of 22 cycles of divergence mass selection. The study was conducted atthe C. N.!. Tibaitata located in Mosquera, at 2543 m.a.s.1. with an average temperature of 14°C and annual rainfall of 750 m.m. Selection infavorofthe trait increased the number of ears per plant from, 1.06 to 1,70 (2,32% per cycle) while selection against the trait reduced it from 1,06to 0,92 (-0,46% per cycle). Yield was significant and positively associated with the number of ears per plant (r=0,87**). There was not found a correlated response with the length spikelet (central and ramifications) and the condesation indexo It was stated the usefullness of those traits on the classification of the races of corn.