Yield response to heat stress as affected by nitrogen availability in maize

As far as we are aware, we showed for the first time in maize grown in field conditions, that the losses in yield in response to elevated canopy air temperature treatment were magnified by the N availability. The effect of N on emphasising the penalties seemed not to be a direct effect of this nutrient but and indirect effect through affecting growth. The effect was through affecting the capacity of the plants to set grains and to a lesser extent to allow grain weight to be maximised; and it was independent of any (potentially additional) effects on either uncoupling anthesis and silking or on pollen amount and viability.