Jason Karl used this specially constructed greenhouse to grow a 48-foot-tall cornstalk.J. KARL
At a whopping 48 feet (14.6 meters), a corn plant in Costa Rica is now tallest in recorded history. Last year, agricultural scientist Jason Karl grew a strain of maize, Chiapas 234, to be 45 feet (13.7 meters) tall. He got it to attain that height by tweaking a gene called Leafy1 and adjusting the plant’s exposure to light. Now, Karl has managed to coax another three feet out of the corn.
See “Record-Setting Corn Grows 45 Feet Tall”
Interested in reading more?
![](https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/36356/aImg/14511/image-of-the-day-a-maize-ing-t.jpg)
The Scientist ARCHIVES
Become a Member of
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!