Two types of lodging are characteristic of sweet corn: stalk lodging, where mechanical breakage of the stalk occurs at the nodes due to wind, and root lodging, caused by weakness or damage to the root system. This trait is key when evaluating hybrids, as a tendency toward lodging reduces the marketability of the ear and grain weight.
The evaluation of crop resistance is conducted by monitoring the percentage of lodged plants. In breeding methodologies, a test for stalk deviation from the vertical by 30–45 degrees is also used: if more than 10% of the plants do not return to their original position, the crop is considered at risk of lodging.
The main factors provoking lodging are the genetic predisposition of hybrids, infection by root rots, pest pressure, and imbalances in mineral nutrition, specifically an excess of nitrogen coupled with a potassium deficiency.
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Lodging.