What maximum daytime temperature will a corn plant suffer dammage.?

Question

Global Warming on the rise, at what high daytime temperature will say a corn plant then suffer dammage and affect harvest yield. From this we can speculate in general at what high daytime temperatures will food production be affected. Assuming too rain water is adequate. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Corn pops at 325 degrees.  

Dr. Stephen Hawkings says that the Earths temperature is going to reach 450 degrees and rain sulfuric acid in our lifetime.  I wonder how this is going to happen since it hasn't warmed in 10 years.

Answer 2

Then consider, could this mean we might have to move where we grow corn?

Nope, instead of simply moving the crop, let's flush all of mankind's progress down the drain in a hysterical frenzy!

Answer 3

It depends on the time of day and where the corn is in its growth cycle.  Pollen which is responsible for fertilizing the corn is vulnerable to temperature above 95 degrees.  So if the temperature when this process occurs is above 95, then yields will be significantly harmed.  The corn itself can take much higher temperatures.  Even if they go up another 10 degrees in the next 100 years the corn could still make it.  It's the pollination part of th cycle that is vulnerable.  Good moisture content in the soil is also important.

It goes to show that the growth cycle is important to take into account in this detemination.  It's not so much the theoretical maximum, as what is the maximum that can occur in aech par t of the corn cycle.

Heat Stress. High-temperature damage to pollination in Indiana almost always occurs in conjunction with drought stress, rarely by itself. Thus, separating heat stress from drought stress effects on pollination is usually difficult.

Temperatures in excess of 95 degrees, especially when accompanied by low relative humidity, can dessicate exposed silks, but affect silk elongation very little. Pollen is likely damaged or killed by mid-90's or greater temperatures, especially when accompanied by low relative humidity.

Luckily, pollen shed typically occurs during early to mid-morning hours before temperatures climb to such dangerous heights. Furthermore, pollen maturation for a given tassel occurs over time and 'fresh' pollen is available every morning until pollen shed is complete.

Successful pollination can therefore occur even during lengthy periods of high temperatures if soil moisture reserves are adequate to meet the plants' demands. Bottom Line: Where soil moisture is adequate, high temperature by itself will not severely impact the yield of a given field.