The extreme heat in Iowa is expected to continue through part of the weekend, with heat indices well over 100-degrees fahrenheit. With that in mind, how does that impact our crops?

Iowa State University Extension Field Agronomist Mike Witt says the rainfall that happened yesterday will help to carry the crops through the short dry and hot period. He says the subsurface moisture level is still good, but the top level of soil needed some precipitation. 

“This shot of rain going through is going to actually help out quite a bit as far as silk growth, silk elongation that really needs a lot of moisture. Having this little bit of rain and that water being available at the top of the profile will significantly help that going forward.”

Witt points out the majority of corn is going through its pollination period, but with the extreme heat, he describes one thing that farmers should be aware of.

“You might see the corn out there doing some ‘pineapple effect’ where it rolls the leaves in the afternoon. Really what it’s doing there is it is just protecting whatever moisture it has, it’s a defense mechanism for the corn. It’s more about the temperatures at night. As long as it gets a little bit cooler at night, we should be able to withstand this small, little heat wave.”  

Witt says if the corn leaves do that for a long period of time, it could be more of an issue and could affect yield potential come harvest time.