Corn Endures Heat Like None Before—What It Cost Us is Unbelievable

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:33:26 +0000

Corn Endures Heat Like Never Before—What It Costs Us Is Unbelievable In recent years, agricultural experts have witnessed a shocking breakthrough: corn—a staple crop across the globe—is now surviving extreme heat better than ever before. While this development may sound promising at first glance, the deeper implications reveal a troubling reality—corn’s ability to endure relentless heat comes with steep costs that threaten food security, farming economics, and environmental sustainability. ### Why Corn’s Heat Tolerance Has Surged Climate change has pushed temperatures to record highs, especially in major corn-producing regions like the U.S. Midwest, parts of Latin America, and Southern Europe. Yet, corn cultivars developed through genetic adaptation and biotechnological advances now resist heat stress far longer than their pre-2010 counterparts. Researchers report that modern corn can maintain yield under temperatures exceeding 100°F (38°C) for extended periods—conditions once deemed fatal.