Hoosier Corn Crops Need Rain This Week

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(UNDATED) - Most Indiana residents are hoping for sunny skies to help them celebrate the 4th of July holiday.

But dry weather over the next couple of weeks could spell disaster for the state's corn crops.

Purdue University Agronomist Tony Vyn says pollination is occurring the next two weeks, and rainfall will affect how successful that procedure is.

The number of kernels per ear is strongly affected by the weather. Typically, on each ear shoot, 750 to 1,000 ovules develop, which have the potential to become kernels.

Vyn says rain helps pollen shed from the tassel reach receptive silks protruding from the ear. These silks are connected to the ovules, which when pollinated form the kernels.

Corn ears average between 400 and 600 kernels.

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