Why Warm Weather Boosts Early Corn Growth

By: Tom J Bechman

OK, corn likes it warm when growing. That’s a no-brainer. But a pair of researchers looked at exactly how corn responds to warmer temperatures as it germinates and grows. What they found may help you better understand why corn planted in cool soils or subjected to cool weather after planting struggles until conditions warm up.

Maria Stoll, former senior research associate for DuPont Pioneer, and Imad Saab, a former research scientist for Pioneer, conducted studies to see exactly how warm corn likes it when growing. Their findings appear in Pioneer’s 2018 Agronomy Research Summary.

Corn is a warm-season crop and does best under warm conditions, the researchers asserted. To prove this, they germinated three hybrids of varying maturities at different temperatures, ranging from 59 degrees F to 95 degrees F. They measured both shoot growth and root growth. Most people understand warm weather causes corn to grow faster aboveground, but may not think about what’s happening belowground.