135 Introduction Maize (Zea mays L.) is the world’s most extensively grown cereal and is the principal staple food in many developing countries. Maize is the third most important cereal crop after wheat and rice. Maize is a major cereal crop for both livestock feed and human nutrition, worldwide. With its high percent of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, some of the important vitamins and minerals maize acquired a well-deserved reputation as a poor man's nutricereal. Higher temperature (45-48 o C at flowering and grain formation stages) is the most alarming factor that determines the crop growth and ultimate yields (Ulukan, 2009). Effect of high temperature during reproductive stage High temperature has adverse effect on the growth and development of plants (Noohi et al., 2009) and the yield may be reduced by 101 kg ha -1 day -1 when the temperature reaches up to 35 0 C during pollination and grain filling stage. Maize is monoecious plant. The reproductive stage of maize crop faces high temperature stress which results in increased anthesis silking interval and poor seed setting. High temperature stress disturbs the proper plant growth and yield by inhibiting photosynthesis and affecting pollination due to silk desiccation and pollen abortion in maize. High temperature adversely affects the reproductive phase leading to increased flower abortion, fertilization failure and decreased seed size. Similarly, it can desiccate exposed silk and pollen grains on their release from the anthers due to thin outer membranes (Sinsawat, 2004). Extended exposure to temperature beyond 32.5 0 C reduced pollen germination of many genotypes of maize to a zero level. However, the extent of damage depends upon the duration and intensity of temperature (Hussain et al., 2006). S. Ambika*, P. Manju 1 , R. Paramasivam 2 and J. Padma 3 * Department of Seed Science and Technology, TNAU, Coimbatore 1 Department of Nematology, TNAU, Coimbatore 2 Department of Agricultural Economics, TNAU, Coimbatore 3 Agricultural Officer, Seed Testing Laboratory, Tiruvannamalai. EFFECT OF HIGH TEMPERATURE DURING REPRODUCTIVE AND MATURITY STAGE IN MAIZE e Journal of Agriculture Science Volume 2, Issue 2, November 2016, Pages 135-137 Received: 19.10.2016; Accepted: 10.11.2016; Online: 26.11.2016