Yield of common corn depending on growing conditions

Abstract

Field studies to assess the yield level of common corn hybrids were conducted under production conditions in the fields of the Continental Farmers Group company, following generally accepted methods of field experiments and statistical processing of results. This approach ensured the representativeness of the obtained data and the possibility of their correct generalization for the conditions of the Western Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. The results of the research showed that the formation of corn yield in 2022–2025 was determined by the complex and multifactorial interaction of hydrothermal conditions of the growing season and the biological characteristics of the studied hybrids. The combination of weather analysis with the calculation of agrometeorological indices and actual yield data made it possible not only to establish general patterns of the influence of climatic factors, but also to identify significant differences in the reaction of individual hybrids to the variability of moisture conditions during the growing season. It has been established that the level of corn productivity in the conditions of the Western Forest-Steppe of Ukraine is determined mainly not by the total amount of precipitation, but by the nature of its spatial and temporal distribution during critical phases of plant development. This is confirmed by the weak correlation between the Selyaninov hydrothermal coefficient and yield (r = 0,07), which indicates the limited informativeness of this indicator under conditions of uneven moisture. At the same time, a strong negative correlation was established between the precipitation unevenness index and the level of corn yield (r = –0,77), which indicates the determining role of intraseasonal variability of water supply in shaping crop productivity. The studied corn hybrids differed significantly in their ability to realize yield potential under conditions of hydrothermal instability. In years with increased rainfall irregularity, the most stable yield indicators were provided by hybrids with a higher level of adaptability to water stress, while less plastic genotypes were characterized by a significant decrease in productivity. This emphasizes the importance of breeding hybrids with increased ecological plasticity and resistance to abiotic stresses. In general, increasing climate variability increases the importance of the adaptive properties of hybrids and the stability of agroecological conditions as key factors in shaping corn yields. The results obtained indicate the feasibility of focusing modern cultivation technologies not only on achieving the optimal level of moisture supply, but also on reducing the negative impact of uneven distribution of precipitation through targeted selection of resistant hybrids and adaptation of the main elements of agricultural technology.