Temperature Impacts Corn Emergence

By Pam Knox

If you plant corn or work with farmers who do, you are probably well aware of the importance of watching soil temperatures before you plant. But if not, you might be interested in these Indiana PrairieFarmer stories that describe how soil temperature and moisture can affect corn germination and emergence. Farmers need to be aware of not only current soil temperature but also the forecasts for both the daily temperature range and potential rainfall. The soil temperature range is also affected by both the soil type and whether it is no-till or has a lot of debris on the surface. If the temperatures get too low, the seed takes a long time to germinate and emerge from the ground, causing spotty field coverage.

Temperature impacts corn emergence

Refresher on corn germination vs. cold soil temps