By Blake Jackson
Researchers at the University of Missouri are studying new ways to help farmers grow sweet corn more efficiently while reducing water use. Scientists from Mizzou’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and Mizzou Engineering recently discovered that sweet corn can be produced with less water without affecting the taste consumers expect.
Sweet corn is one of the most water-dependent vegetable crops grown in the United States. To identify better irrigation methods, Associate Professor Noel Aloysius and graduate student Moussa Theodore Yatta compared three different watering strategies during their study.
One irrigation approach relies only on natural rainfall. This method produced the lowest crop yield because the plants did not receive enough moisture during important growth stages. Another method used potential evapotranspiration, which estimates water needs based on weather information such as sunlight, air temperature, humidity, and wind conditions. Researchers found this strategy often supplied more water than the crop actually required.
The third approach, called crop-specific evapotranspiration, adjusted watering schedules based on the corn’s exact growth stages and changing water demands. Researchers explained that sweet corn requires less water early in development, but water demand increases quickly once reproduction begins. By adjusting irrigation timing and amounts, researchers were able to conserve water while maintaining crop quality.
“We saw a clear difference in plant water use,” Aloysius said. “When farmers rely only on weather to guide irrigation, they often apply more water than the crops truly need. By watering based only on what the plant needs as it grows, we found farmers can use water more efficiently.”
Researchers also examined sugar levels because sweetness is one of the most important qualities in sweet corn.
“We found little difference in sugar content across the different watering strategies, showing us that farmers can still conserve water while delivering a quality product that consumers expect,” Yatta said.
Sweet corn remains an important crop in American agriculture. It ranks second in farm value among processed vegetables and consistently remains one of the nation’s top fresh vegetable crops. Additional information about Mizzou agricultural research is available here.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-songdech17
Categories: Missouri, Crops, Corn, Education