AgricultureID

Crop · Cereal crop

Maize

Zea mays

Also known as: Corn, Indian corn

Maize (corn) is a warm-season cereal grown worldwide for grain used in food, feed, and industrial products. It is cultivated across a wide range of climates, from temperate to tropical, typically completing its life cycle within a single growing season.

Dated referenceLast reviewed: 2026-07-12Updated: 2026-07-12
A field of maize (corn)
Sridhar Rao, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab) source (opens in a new tab)Downloaded from Wikimedia Commons; resized to a maximum width of 1280 px and recompressed as JPEG for web delivery. Content unaltered.

Maize is one of the most widely cultivated cereal crops in the world, grown for grain that serves as a staple food, a major livestock feed ingredient, and a raw material for starch, sweeteners, and industrial products. Its high yield potential and adaptability to diverse environments have made it a dominant crop across many agricultural systems.

Maize is a tall, single-stemmed annual grass. Unlike wheat and barley, it is monoecious with separate male and female flower structures on the same plant: the tassel produces pollen at the top of the plant, while ears develop lower on the stalk and are fertilized by wind-blown pollen landing on their silks.

Overview

Maize uses the C4 photosynthetic pathway, which allows it to use water and nitrogen efficiently and sustain high rates of growth under warm, sunny conditions. This physiology, combined with more than a century of breeding, underlies its high yield potential relative to many other cereals.

Maize is grown across an unusually wide range of production systems, from smallholder plots to large mechanized farms, and is used for grain, silage, and, in some regions, fresh consumption as sweet corn. Agronomic practices differ substantially between these systems and by region.

Botanical classification

Family
Poaceae (grass family)
Genus and species
Zea mays
Flower structure
Monoecious; male tassel at the plant apex and female ears borne on lower nodes, fertilized by wind-dispersed pollen
Growth habit
Tall, single-stemmed annual grass, typically 1.5–3 m at maturity

Origin and distribution

Maize was domesticated from wild teosinte in what is now Mexico and subsequently spread throughout the Americas before European contact. Following its introduction to other continents, it became established as a major crop in Africa, Asia, Europe, and beyond.

Maize is now grown on every inhabited continent under an enormous range of climates.

Climate requirements

Maize is a warm-season crop that requires a frost-free period long enough for the chosen hybrid to complete its growth cycle. It is sensitive to cold soil and air temperatures at planting and to frost at either end of the season.

Heat and drought stress around silking and the early grain-fill period can substantially affect kernel set and yield. Hybrid maturity class is selected to match the length of the local frost-free season and expected moisture conditions.

Soil requirements

Maize performs best on deep, well-drained, medium-textured soils such as loams that combine good moisture-holding capacity with adequate aeration. It is sensitive to compaction and waterlogging, both of which restrict root development.

Establishment and crop management

Establishing a uniform plant stand at the correct depth and spacing is a key determinant of maize yield potential. Hybrid selection, planting date, and target plant population are set according to local climate, soil, and market end use.

  • Hybrid selection matched to maturity class, disease pressure, and end use (grain, silage, or sweet corn)
  • Crop rotation, often with legumes such as soybean, to manage pests, diseases, and soil nitrogen supply
  • Seedbed preparation and planting equipment suited to the tillage system in use
  • Weed management during early growth, when maize competes poorly with weeds

Nutrient considerations

Maize has a high nitrogen requirement relative to many other cereals, reflecting its rapid biomass accumulation and yield potential. Phosphorus and potassium support early root development, stalk strength, and grain fill, while requirements for each nutrient depend on soil supply, target yield, and previous cropping history.

Water and irrigation

Maize is grown both rain-fed and under irrigation, depending on regional rainfall reliability. Water demand peaks around tasseling, silking, and early grain fill, and stress during this window has a disproportionate effect on yield.

Common diseases and pests

Maize is affected by a range of fungal diseases, including Fusarium stalk and ear rots, as well as leaf blights and smuts whose importance varies by region and season. Insect pests such as aphids can reduce vigor directly and transmit certain viruses; other regionally important pests include stalk borers and rootworms.

Management typically combines resistant or tolerant hybrids, crop rotation, field monitoring, and, where warranted, locally authorized control measures applied according to their labels.

Harvest

Grain maize is harvested once kernels have reached physiological maturity and dried to a moisture level suitable for combining and safe storage, with further drying often applied afterward. Silage maize is harvested earlier, at a whole-plant moisture content suited to fermentation and storage as feed.

Uses

  • Human food, including cornmeal, masa-based products, and sweet corn for direct consumption
  • Livestock feed, as grain, silage, or processing by-products
  • Industrial starch, sweeteners, and oil extracted from the grain
  • Feedstock for ethanol and other biofuel production in some regions

Botanical identity

Species
Accepted name
Zea mays
Family
Poaceae
Genus
Zea
Harvested part
grain
Agricultural use
human food, animal feed, starch, bioenergy
Crop group
Cereals

What the authorities say

World Flora Online — Taxonomic Backbone
Zea mays
Plants of the World Online
Zea mays

Botanical identity here is what the consulted taxonomic authorities publish, on the date they were read. Where authorities disagree, both readings are shown rather than one being chosen silently.

Verified crop taxa

Traded as

This crop is traded as one commodity in this corpus.

What AgricultureID holds for this crop

  • 99 crop calendar records
  • 5 published cultivars
  • 10 verified extension resources
  • 33 pests and diseases naming this crop as a host
  • 1 soil references
  • 34 farm economics observations
  • 533 market price series
  • 12 related crops

Not held

  • No official variety registrations — source exists not mapped
  • No climate references — not researched

An absence here means this corpus holds no such record, not that none exists.

Verified crop taxa

How to read figures on this page

Production, area and trade figures for any crop change from season to season and are compiled by FAO and by national agricultural statistics agencies. Take current numbers from those primary sources, dated to the period you mean, rather than from a secondary summary — including this one.

Crop water requirements are estimated from reference evapotranspiration and local climate data, following methods published by FAO and national agricultural agencies. A requirement quoted without the reference method and the local climate behind it is not a number that can be applied to a field.

Part of

Cereals · Poaceae — the grass family

Related crops

Shared pest and disease pressure
Barley, Grape, Groundnut, Millet, Oats, Potato, Rice, Sorghum, Soybean, Tomato, Wheat
Same genus
Sweetcorn

Planting and harvest calendar

Usual sowing and harvest windows across 99 jurisdictions, covering corn and corn — season 1 and corn — season 2 and corn — season 3.

View the calendar

Cost of production, as forecast

United States national estimates for 2027, published by USDA Economic Research Service.

Total costs listed
952.09 USD
Dollars per planted acre
Operating costs
473.34 USD
Dollars per planted acre
Allocated overhead
478.75 USD
Dollars per planted acre

A forecast of what a crop will cost to grow is not a record of what it cost. It is the source’s expectation for a year that has not finished.

These are costs only. The source publishes no revenue alongside them, so no margin, profit or break-even price is derived from them here.

How these figures are produced

Official extension guidance

10 resources indexed from public extension publishers. Each was written for a particular place; read it at the source.

  • Common Rust of Corn

    Factsheet published by Ohio State University Extension for Ohio. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “Disease Cycle and Epidemiology”, “Search form” and “PLPATH-CER-02”.

    Ohio State University Extension · Disease management · publisher states no date; reachable 2026-08-27

  • Corn Fungicide ROI Calculator

    Factsheet published by University of Maryland Extension for Maryland. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “Corn Fungicide ROI Calculator”, “Information on the Corn Fungicide ROI Calculator” and “How were fungicide products selected for inclusion in the calculator?”.

    University of Maryland Extension · Disease management, Farm management · publisher states 2026-06-04

  • Corn Performance Improved by Long-term Diversified Crop Rotations and No-tillage in Ohio from 1962 to 2024

    Factsheet published by Ohio State University Extension for Ohio. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “Key Findings”, “Points to Ponder and Looking Ahead” and “Search form”.

    Ohio State University Extension · Soil preparation, Disease management, Crop rotation · publisher states no date; reachable 2026-08-27

  • Corn Rootworm Management

    Factsheet published by Ohio State University Extension for Ohio. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “Rootworm Injury to Corn”, “Rootworm Variants” and “Symptoms, Assessment, and Scouting”.

    Ohio State University Extension · Pest management · publisher states no date; reachable 2026-08-27

  • Energy Conservation in Corn Production

    Factsheet published by Ohio State University Extension for Ohio. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “Search form”, “AGF-102” and “Social Media”.

    Ohio State University Extension · Conservation · publisher states no date; reachable 2026-08-27

  • Gibberella Ear Rot and Mycotoxins in Corn: Sampling, Testing, and Storage

    Factsheet published by Ohio State University Extension for Ohio. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “Vomitoxin Variability in Infected Grain”, “Sampling for Mycotoxins” and “Mycotoxin Test Options”.

    Ohio State University Extension · Disease management, Storage · publisher states no date; reachable 2026-08-27

  • Gray Leaf Spot of Corn

    Factsheet published by Ohio State University Extension for Ohio. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “Disease Cycle and Epidemiology”, “Search form” and “PLPATH-CER-05”.

    Ohio State University Extension · Disease management · publisher states no date; reachable 2026-08-27

  • Grazing Corn Residue

    Factsheet published by University of Maryland Extension for Maryland. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “Grazing Corn Residue” and “Agronomy News-October 2024”.

    University of Maryland Extension · Grazing · publisher states 2024-10-11

  • Managing “Pollen Drift” to Minimize Contamination of Non-GMO Corn

    Factsheet published by Ohio State University Extension for Ohio. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “Characteristics of Corn Po​llen Affecting “Drift””, “How Far can Corn Pollen Travel?” and “Planting Practices to Minimize GMO Pollen Contamination”.

    Ohio State University Extension · Crop establishment · publisher states no date; reachable 2026-08-27

  • Using Corn for Livestock Grazing

    Factsheet published by Ohio State University Extension for Ohio. It addresses maize. The source is organised around “What Corn Can I Graze?”, “How Should I Grow Corn That Will Be Grazed?” and “Where Does Corn Fit in a Grazing System?”.

    Ohio State University Extension · Livestock management, Grazing · publisher states no date; reachable 2026-08-27

These are pointers to guidance published by others. Each was written for a particular place and season and is revised by its publisher; read it at the source, and check it applies where you farm.

How this index is built

Authorised inputs (France)

The French register records 168 currently authorised products whose authorised use names this crop, held by 48 authorisation holders. This is a count of what exists on the register, not a recommendation and not a shortlist.

By function

  • Herbicide 112
  • Insecticide 32
  • Fongicide 22
  • Répulsif 1
  • Régulateur de croissance 1

Targets named on the register

  • Ravageurs du sol 15
  • Maladies des taches foliaires 14
  • Champignons (autres que pythiacées) 13
  • Chenilles phytophages 11
  • Pyrale(s) (1) 10
  • Rouille(s) 7

Use scope is recorded as the register writes it. Collective terms cover several crops at once and are left unmapped rather than expanded, because expanding one entry into several would invent authorisations that were never granted.

Authorisation is specific to one jurisdiction, one legal object and one moment. It is not a recommendation, and it says nothing about how a product may be used: always read the current official label at the source before acting.

Browse authorised products · How authorisation is recorded

Tools for this

Each tool shows its formula, constants and sources, and starts empty — nothing is filled in from this page.

Relationships

Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.

Susceptible to

Suitable soils

Related topics

Notable cultivars

Documented varieties tied to this species, with registry status and sources on each page. Not an exhaustive list.

Harvested commodities

The traded commodities harvested from this crop. A commodity is the harvested lot, described by its own quality, grading, and storage evidence — not by the agronomy of the plant.

Scope & limitations

Geographic scope: Global overview. Hybrid choice, planting dates, and input levels are region-specific and vary widely by climate and market.

Climate context: Warm-season crop requiring a frost-free growing period; grown from temperate to tropical zones, rain-fed or irrigated.

  • Hybrid selection, planting density, and fertilizer programs are region-specific decisions not covered by universal values here.
  • Production and trade statistics change annually and should be taken from primary datasets such as FAOSTAT and USDA NASS.
  • Disease and pest pressure varies considerably by region and season; local extension guidance should inform management decisions.

Sources

This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.

  1. [1]FAO — Food and Agriculture Organization (opens in a new tab)

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Role of maize in global food and feed systems

    Type:
    Intergovernmental organization
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  2. [2]FAOSTAT — FAO statistical database (opens in a new tab)

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Production, area, and trade statistics

    Type:
    Intergovernmental organization
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  3. [3]CIMMYT — International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (opens in a new tab)

    International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

    High

    Cited for: Maize improvement and agronomy research

    Type:
    Research institute
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  4. [4]USDA ARS — Agricultural Research Service (opens in a new tab)

    USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Maize disease and pest research

    Type:
    Government agency
    Jurisdiction:
    United States
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  5. [5]USDA PLANTS Database (opens in a new tab)

    USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Classification and nomenclature

    Type:
    Reference database
    Jurisdiction:
    United States
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  6. [6]Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (opens in a new tab)

    Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

    High

    Cited for: Regional maize agronomy guidance

    Type:
    University extension service
    Jurisdiction:
    United States (Iowa)
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12

Related topics

Plant Nutrients