Scientists from the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul’s Department of Agronomy, the Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC) and the Department of Agronomy of São Paulo State University have conducted research on the variations in maize yield in tropical soils.
Their findings demonstrate that, when maize plants do not receive a sufficient level of water, they utilise survival methods to conserve water merely for survival. Therefore, their growth rates are limited. This phenomenon is frequently referred to as isohydric behaviour.
The research was published on 1 April 2026 and conducted in the Cerrado. This is a tropical savanna region of central Brazil that experiences frequent seasonal droughts. It delves into the ‘water potential’ of plants: a metric showing how easily water moves through a plant. An imperative for plants is that they have sufficient internal water pressure to function, but not dissipate too much to the surroundings.
The key findings of the research indicate that isohydric maize plants prioritise having safe internal water quantities over growing. This is beneficial as it protects the plants from detrimental damage, however, it significantly inhibits photosynthesis and growth.
The study yielded a lack of correlation between plant height and crop yield, inferring that visible growth is not necessarily beneficial for plant health under water stress. During the droughts prevalent in the Cerrado, this water optimisation amplifies in intensity. Hence, the maize plants enter a ‘survival mode’.
The research scientists depict these processes through water potential formulae. Variables such as pressure potential and osmotic potential are incorporated (e.g total water potential is the sum of pressure potential and osmotic potential), to quantitatively model the motion of water through plants.
The findings of the study are instrumental, as the harmful impacts of climate change grow increasingly prevalent in this day and age, and global warming and excessive droughts have prolonged effects on ecosystems.
This valuable insight into how maize crops optimise water could change the structure of agricultural procedures. Also, it could improve crop resilience in the many biomes presently affected by droughts.
This research is also pivotal for King’s College London scientists, who are currently focused on the objective of maximising sustainability in real-world practices. These findings could be applicable for research on sustainable food production and crop cultivation, and discovering more about how plants optimise water while it is scarce.
This also shows that droughts are not necessarily instantaneously damaging for maize crops. Maize plants can vary their physiological processes to adapt to different climate conditions. Their stunted growth without compromised health demonstrates this.
As temperatures rise worldwide, these strategies are integral for the cultivation of plants, as well as their roles in multiple ecosystems, as well as global food systems.
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