"Dew" on sweetcorn?

strelitzia32

I'm curious as to what this is, please see photo, specifically the tiny drop of liquid at the tip of the front plant.

I've noticed the same dew/condensation/transpiration type droplets on the very tip all my sweetcorn (regular Incredible f1) seedlings. It only occurs in the morning, on the tips, and they're currently indoors so the temperature is fairly constant so it's not dew. It's happened with both my first and second sowing, the first sowing is about 8 inches and growing well so doesn't seem to be an issue. I've just never noticed it before. It doesn't appear on any other plant so it must be specific to sweetcorn... Curious to hear thoughts, thank you.

GemmaJF

It's nothing to worry about. The technical term is guttation. There is a pressure from the roots to push water up the plant. Over night the rate of transpiration is less, so more water gets pushed up than evaporates around the leaves. We then find the little drop in the morning.

strelitzia32

Fascinating, thank you, that's great to know. Is there a reason it happens with sweetcorn more visibly than other veg?

GemmaJF

strelitzia32 said:

Fascinating, thank you, that's great to know. Is there a reason it happens with sweetcorn more visibly than other veg?

I would guess it is down to the shape of the leaf. Might also be the position of the pores called hydathodes, which let the water out. Plants with less pointy leaves tend to do it all around the edge of the leaf.

strelitzia32

Thank you, that's really interesting to learn.