Washington, Nov. 24 -- : Few things say summer in America is more than buttery corn on the cob, but as summer temperatures climb to unprecedented levels, the future of sweet corn may not be so sweet. New University of Illinois research shows sweet corn yields drop significantly with extreme heat during flowering, especially in rainfed fields in the Midwest.
Climate projections don't just predict a handful of hot days going forward. The U.S. Global Change Research Program predicts 20 to 30 more days over 32 C [about 90 F] by mid-century across much of the U.S.
"The reality is that producing sweet corn, one of the most popular vegetable crops in the U.S., will be more difficult in the future. We need to develop new approaches and technologi...