Assessing short‐stature corn hybrids for irrigated Mid‐South production systems

Abstract

Abstract Short‑stature (SS) corn ( Zea mays L.) hybrids represent an emerging phenotype with distinct morphological characteristics, but their performance under irrigated Mid‑South conditions is not well documented. We compared two SS hybrids (H1 and H2) and three tall‐stature (TS) hybrids (H3, H4, and H5) over two seasons. Grain yield differed among hybrids ( p < 0.01) and years ( p < 0.05), and hybrid × year interaction was not significant. Hybrid H4 (TS) yielded significantly more than H1 (SS), whereas H2 (SS), H3 (TS), and H5 (TS) did not differ from H1. Dry matter (DM) and ear traits, H3 and H4 (TS), accumulated more DM and produced more kernels per row, whereas H1 and H2 (SS) tended to have more rows per ear and heavier seed weight. Several traits showed hybrid × year interactions. Overall, two SS hybrids had yields not significantly different from two of the three TS hybrids, but broader validation requires multi‑location, multi‑year evaluation.