The Role of Pollination in Corn Yield Potential

When it comes to producing a successful corn crop, few stages are as critical — or as sensitive — as pollination. The timing of corn pollination is closely linked to planting date and heat unit accumulation. Most hybrids in our area typically hit mid-pollination around 1,300 to 1,400 growing degree units (GDUs).

Understanding how pollination works and what factors affect it can help growers make more informed decisions in-season and plan ahead for maximum yield potential.

Why Pollination Is So Important

Pollination plays a huge role in determining final yield. Simply put — without pollination, there is no grain. It’s the moment the plant transitions from potential to production, and it all comes down to how well the male and female parts of the plant connect.

How Corn Pollination Works

Pollination begins with the tassel — the male part of the corn plant — which produces and sheds pollen. That pollen falls down onto the emerging silks, each of which connects to a potential kernel on the ear. Successful pollination of each silk results in kernel formation.

Under ideal conditions, pollination occurs over a span of about 10 to 14 days. Pollen typically sheds in the morning, when temperatures are cooler and humidity is higher, increasing the chances of successful fertilization.

Environmental Factors That Impact Pollination

As with everything in agriculture, Mother Nature plays a major role. In our area, the warm summer nights in mid-June this year posed some difficulties in achieving complete pollination. While daytime heat is tough, warm nighttime temperatures can be even more stressful because the plant doesn’t get a chance to recover.

Thankfully, many fields had enough soil moisture to help offset the stress, allowing plants to cool themselves and continue pollination without significant issues. But that’s not always the case.

What Growers Can and Can’t Control

While we can’t control the weather, there are several important management decisions that give corn a better chance to thrive through pollination:

What you can control:

• A strong fertility program that promotes early plant health and resilience

• A timely fungicide application to improve plant health and reduce leaf stress before and during pollination

• Early scouting for silk clipping pests like Japanese beetles or corn rootworm beetles

  
  

What you can’t control:

• Heatwaves and hot nighttime temperatures

• Timely rainfall, unless you’re irrigated and can apply water as needed

• Pollen viability once extreme heat or drought stress takes hold

  
  

Unless you have a pivot and the ability to flip a switch and irrigate on demand, weather remains the ultimate variable. But the practices you put in place ahead of pollination can make all the difference in how your crop responds.

Final Thoughts

Corn pollination might be short-lived, but its impact is long-lasting.

By paying attention to crop stage, staying on top of field conditions, and investing in early plant health, growers can give their corn the best possible chance to reach its full yield potential — even when Mother Nature doesn’t play fair.