Study Quantifies Nighttime Heat Stress Impact on Corn Crop in

Illinois and Indiana


New Outlook Report from The Climate Corporation Analyzes Historical Relationships between Nighttime Temperatures, Grain Fill Period and Yield

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO, June 19, 2012 – An increase of just one degree in the average nighttime temperature during grain fill can cost an Illinois corn grower 3.6 bushels per acre, a study by The Climate Corporation has found. Its newly released Outlook Report quantifies the historical impact of nighttime heat stress on length of grain fill period and corn yield.

 

“Growers and agronomists have known for some time that higher nighttime temperatures lead to shorter grain fill periods and generally lower yields,” says Jeff Hamlin, Director of Agronomic Research at The Climate Corporation, “but until now, very few analyses have quantified the impacts of higher nighttime temperatures, and this insight will help growers adjust their yield expectations more accurately as the season progresses.”


The Climate Corporation analyzed 20 years of weather and yield data from Indiana and Illinois using its powerful weather data platform. Key conclusions from the outlook report include:

 

Over the last 20 years, Illinois corn growers have seen the length of the grain fill period decrease by one week for every 2.6 degree Fahrenheit increase in average temperatures during grain fill, while Indiana corn growers have seen the length of the grain fill period decrease by one week for every 2.8 degree Fahrenheit increase in average nighttime temperatures during grain fill.
Over the last 20 years, Illinois corn growers have seen yields decrease by an average of 3.6 bushels per acre for every one degree Fahrenheit increase in average nighttime temperatures during grain fill. In Indiana, the drop in yield has averaged 2.0 bushels per acre for every one degree Fahrenheit increase in average nighttime temperatures during grain fill.
  • Over the last 20 years, Illinois corn growers have seen the length of the grain fill period decrease by one week for every 2.6 degree Fahrenheit increase in average temperatures during grain fill, while Indiana corn growers have seen the length of the grain fill period decrease by one week for every 2.8 degree Fahrenheit increase in average nighttime temperatures during grain fill.

 

  • Over the last 20 years, Illinois corn growers have seen yields decrease by an average of 3.6 bushels per acre for every one degree Fahrenheit increase in average nighttime temperatures during grain fill. In Indiana, the drop in yield has averaged 2.0 bushels per acre for every one degree Fahrenheit increase in average nighttime temperatures during grain fill.

 

To access the Outlook Report, visit www.climate.com/2012outlook/nighttime-heat-stress.


About The Climate Corporation
The Climate Corporation's mission is to help all the world's people and businesses manage and adapt to climate change. The company protects the $3 trillion global agriculture industry from the financial impact of adverse weather—the cause of over 90 percent of crop loss — with fully automated weather insurance products. The company's unique technology platform enables the real-time pricing and purchasing of customizable weather insurance using proprietary global weather simulation modeling and local weather monitoring systems. Unlike traditional insurance, The Climate Corporation's products pay out automatically based solely on measured weather conditions, requiring no claims process and no waiting for payment. For more information, please visit www.climate.com or follow the company on Twitter @climatecorp.