Sweet corn “topping” is the removal of plant parts above the ear after pollination has occurred. This practice has been reported to hasten maturity, improve picking ease, reduce bird damage, improve pesticide application to ears, and reduce lodging problems. Disadvantages of topping have included a reduction in earsize, poor kernel fill,sunburn of exposed ears, and additional production costs. The objective was to determine what effect topping would have on ear maturity, yield, and ear quality under Iowa growing conditions.