Breeding Breakthroughs Boost Corn Belt Maize Yield and Drought Resilience
A comprehensive 20-year study of Corn Belt maize hybrids demonstrates significant breeding advances that simultaneously increase yields and drought resistance. Researchers found newer varieties maintain productivity better under vapor pressure deficit stress across all yield categories.
Two-Decade Study Reveals Agricultural Breakthrough
Agricultural scientists have documented concurrent improvements in both maize yield and drought resistance through breeding advances across the U.S. Corn Belt, according to a comprehensive study published in Nature Communications. The research analyzed 92,096 data points from university field performance tests of maize hybrids conducted between 2000 and 2020 across five key production states: Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.