Rising summer temperatures pose a serious threat to the future of sweet corn as University of Illinois research reveals a significant drop in yields due to extreme heat during flowering, particularly in rain-fed fields in the Midwest.
Climate projections indicate a worrisome trend, with the U.S. Global Change Research Program predicting 20 to 30 more days above 32°C (89.6°F) by mid-century across much of the U.S.
Daljeet Dhaliwal, the lead author of the study published in Scientific Reports and a former graduate research assistant, emphasized the challenges in producing sweet corn, one of the most popular vegetable crops in the U.S., under these changing climate conditions. Dhaliwal stressed the need to explore innovative approaches and technologies to aid crops in adapting to climate change.
The study, conducted in collaboration with Marty Williams, a USDA-Agricultural Research Service ecologist and affiliate professor at the U of I crop sciences department, analyzed sweet corn yields over a 27-year period. They obtained private data from sweet corn processors, offering a finer resolution than previous studies using county-level data.
The findings underscore the urgency for developing strategies to safeguard sweet corn production amidst the increasing threat of extreme heat during flowering. As climate change brings more hot days, it becomes imperative to explore new solutions that can help crops adapt to the changing environmental conditions and ensure the sustainability of sweet corn farming.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-luc-pouliot
Categories: Illinois, Crops, Corn