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Drought stress is among the significant forms of abiotic stresses that unfavourably affects maize survival as well as the development from germination to maturity. This paper, therefore, reviewed drought stress effects in maize plants and expatiated on the plausible adoptable mitigation measures to employ in curbing these effects as well. Water shortage prompts drought stress that alters the morphological, physiological and biochemical activities in maize plants. The major drought stress implications on the plant's survival are mostly in the area of altered metabolic functions, including nutrient metabolism, cell membrane integrity, water relationships, plant yield, photosynthetic processes, osmotic adjustment, and the pigment content. Mitigating strategies, such as the breeding of drought-tolerant varieties, genomic applications for drought tolerance enhancement in maize plants, as well as the use of rhizobacteria and endophytic bacteria, can be employed in alleviating drought stress and ensuring optimal maize productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents estimates of the effects of changing climate on crop yields for grain corn and soybeans in Ontario, Canada, for 1959–2013. We were able to use a database that is more comprehensive with respect to explanatory variables than some previous efforts had available. Our model includes climate variables, prices, land quality, groundwater level, CO2 concentration, and a time trend. Our results indicate that trends in temperature and precipitation during our study period have not yet resulted in appreciable threats to crop yields in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]