Determination of the effect of drought on grain yield and yield components in some hybrid dent corn (Zea mays indentata Sturt)

This study was carried out to determine the performance of current dent hybrid corn varieties at full irrigation (I-100) and restricted irrigation (I-50) levels in the research application area of Çukurova University, Faculty of Agriculture, Field Crops Department. Deficit irrigation caused a 44 % reduction in mean grain yield; the highest yield under I-100 was obtained from KONTIGOS (1 287.3 kg da-1), whereas under I-50 it was recorded for KWS KASHMIR (724.7 kg da-1). With respect to relative yield loss, KWS KASHMIR, Dario, and KWS Kerubino emerged as the most drought-tolerant genotypes. Water stress lowered the thousand grain weight from 282.9 g to 217.1 g, corresponding to an approximate 23 % decrease, while it raised grain protein content from 9.54 % to 10.33 %. Correlation analysis revealed that grain yield was strongly and positively associated with the number of kernels per row on the ear (r = 0.823**) and 1000 grain weight (r = 0.726**). These findings suggest that, under Çukurova conditions, selecting genotypes adapted to limited-water scenarios and adopting deficit-irrigation strategies can minimise yield losses while preserving grain quality.. Keywords: Genotype environment interaction, Corn varieties, Drought, Yield