Viability of seeds and adaptability of early-maping hybrids of corn in the conditions of the Southern Urals

Abstract. The purpose is to study and identify the best high-yielding with rapid loss of grain moisture during ripening, ecologically plastic and stable corn hybrids adapted to the conditions of the Southern Urals. Methods. The studies were carried out in 2017–2020 in the North Caucasian and Ural regions of the Russian Federation at the earliest and optimal sowing dates, taking into account the temperature regime of the soil. Eight new early-ripening maize hybrids of the FSBSI ARRSI of corn breeding in 2016 were studied. Laboratory seed germination was determined at a temperature of +20 °C according to the method of V. S. Sotchenko and others and by cold germination in filter paper rolls after each year of storage. Field germination was determined by counting the number of seedlings after sowing. Plasticity and stability were calculated according to the method of S. F. Eberhart, W. F. Russel. Results. After four years storage of corn hybrids Nur and Mashuk 170 MV, the laboratory germination of seeds remained at the level of 98–99 % with cold germination. In the conditions of the Ural region, the hybrids Baikal and Mashuk 171 became ecologically plastic and productive, referring to high intensity forms. The hybrids with the lowest grainharvesting moisture for all the years of studying Bilyar 160 (27.0 %) and Ural’skiy 150 (27.5 %) were identified as adapted for growing for grain in the Ural region. Scientific novelty. For the first time, a variety test of new early-ripening maize hybrids bred by FSBSI ARRSI of corn was carried out in two ecological and geographical points. The results of the study of ecological plasticity, adaptability to natural and climatic conditions, yield, harvest moisture content of grain, preservation of the viability of seeds of hybrids during storage will make it possible to identify the most adaptive early-ripening hybrids according to a set of characteristics for the conditions of the Ural region.