3 MIN READ
Short Husks and Exposed Ears During Corn Harvest
August 25, 2025
This Q&A provides answers to common questions concerning the function of normal corn husks, factors that control and alter husk and ear development, and the possible effects of short husks on yield potential and grain quality.
Q: What does the husk do for the corn plant?
A: A corn husk is essentially leaf tissue that surrounds an ear of corn. The three primary functions of husks are photosynthesis, protecting the ear from insects and infections, and preventing moisture from penetrating the ear. After physiological maturity, the husk is the primary pathway for kernel drydown.1
Q: What determines the length of a husk and its other physical traits?
A: Traits such as husk length, thickness, and width are controlled by multiple genes. The number of husks is highly variable, depending on the genetic background of the corn product or inbred line.1 Under certain climatic conditions, a phenomenon can occur that results in husks being much shorter than their ear.2
Q: What can cause husks to be too short to cover the entire ear?
A: The most common cause of this oddity is crop stress, particularly from drought and excessive heat, prior to or during pollination (VT to R1 growth stages). Usually, when short husks develop, the stress is immediately followed by cooler temperatures and rainfall between pollination and the blister stage (R2 growth stage).2,3
The genetic background of individual corn products can also influence how much the husk encases the ear. For example, some corn products or inbred lines normally produce ears longer than their husks, while others produce ears with diameters so wide they split the husks. Historically, plant breeders may have selected germplasm with shorter husks to encourage quicker dry down for corn products adapted for northern growing areas, while longer husks were likely selected in “southern” germplasm to protect ears from weather and insects.4
Q: And what conditions affect ear size and husk size? How does drought and/or high heat cause husks to shorten?
A: Ear size is determined separately from husk size, at two points in the plant’s growth. Potential ear girth (number of rows around the corn ear) is determined first at around the V6 to V7 growth stages. Potential ear length (number of kernels/row) is determined around the V7 to V16 growth stages. Ears, husks, and all plant tissue require water to grow.
Drought and/or high heat that occurs just prior to or during pollination can place plants under considerable water stress, stunting the growth of stalks, leaves, and husks. If temperatures cool and ample rainfall occurs soon after pollination, cobs may escape stunting and continue to grow, extending beyond the stunted husks which do not begin growing again even after the water stress has passed (Figure 1).2
Q: Can other stresses cause this abnormality?
A: Short husks have not been linked to other stress factors such as nutrient deficiencies or herbicide injury. However, roots that are severely injured or restricted by compaction may have limited water uptake. If this occurs prior to pollination and coincides with drought or heat stress, similar symptoms may occur.2
Q: Can shortened husks reduce yield potential or grain quality?
A: Yield reductions that coincide with short husks are more likely to have been caused by the drought and high heat conditions that stunted the husks than the shortened husks themselves. However, some potential yield loss can occur when the exposed kernels are damaged by weather or fed upon by birds and insects.
Grain quality can be impacted if the exposed kernels are infected by any of the molds that cause Aspergillus, Fusarium, or Gibberella ear rots, which can produce toxins dangerous to humans and livestock. Infections may be more likely to occur on exposed kernels that are damaged by insects or birds.
Q: Can symptoms be reduced?
A: Timely irrigation prior to or during pollination, if available, can help relieve water stress. Otherwise, there are no in-season management techniques available to help reduce the development of short husks.
Q: What can be done prior to planting to help reduce the potential for short husk development?
A: Growers can select seed products that have higher ratings for drought tolerance and plant seed products with different relative maturities (RM). Choosing multiple RMs can help stagger corn development stages, potentially allowing the pollination, husk, and ear development of at least some of the staggered products to occur during more favorable environmental conditions.
Reducing soil compaction may also be beneficial, as this reduces root stress and may allow plants to better tolerate drought conditions.
Q: Do short husks occur during favorable growing conditions?
A: As mentioned above, some seed products have the genetic potential to extend the cob beyond the husks. Additionally, even under very good pre-tassel conditions, rainfall soon after pollination can cause corn cobs to produce extra length. Though if pollen is no longer available, the exposed ear tip may remain unfilled.
Sources
1Cui, Z., Dong, H., Zhang, A., Ruan, Y., He, Y., and Zhang, Z. 2020. Assessment of the potential for genomic selection to improve husk traits in maize. G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics. 10(10): 3741–3749. https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.120.401600
2Nielsen, R.L. 2018. Short husks & exposed ears. Purdue University, Corny News Network. https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/timeless/EarHusks.html
3Elmore, R. Brhel, J., McMechan, J. Jackson-Ziems, T., and Hoegemeyer, T. 2016. Corn ear formation issues likely correlated with the loss of the primary ear node. University of Nebraska–Lincoln, CropWatch. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2016/corn-ear-formation-issues-likely-correlated-loss-primary-ear-node/
42011. Q&A: Why are corn ears outgrowing their husks? University of Nebraska–Lincoln, CropWatch. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/qa-why-are-corn-ears-outgrowing-their-husks-unl-cropwatch-august-19-2011/
Web sources verified 08/13/2025. 1211_150406.