Shading during the growth of summer maize plants significantly reduces grain yield. The photosynthetic process in the plants is affected by shading, leading to lower chlorophyll content and decreased efficiency in capturing sunlight. The xanthophyll cycle, a process that helps dissipate excess light energy, becomes more active under shading conditions. When shading is removed, the plants quickly adapt to normal light conditions, showing increased efficiency in utilizing absorbed light. Overall, shading impacts the photosynthetic process and the ability of plants to recover from changes in light exposure.