In maize agronomy, the duration of the vegetation period is determined not by calendar days, but by the FAO index — a relative measure of earliness. It reflects the plant's requirement for a sum of active or effective temperatures to complete its developmental cycle, which ends with the appearance of the 'black layer' at the base of the grain.
Hybrids are classified on the FAO scale from 100 to 600+, with each group corresponding to specific ranges of temperature sums and estimated maturity times. Choosing a hybrid with an appropriate index is critical for climate adaptation, as the high heat requirement of late-maturing varieties directly affects their yield, grain moisture loss rate, and the risk of failure to reach maturity before the onset of cold weather.
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Vegetation period.