Yield Analysis of Corn Hybrids Attributed By 1980-2010 Climate in Kansas.

Corn is the second largest crop in Kansas, with 62% of corn acres grown without irrigation. Non-irrigated corn yield potential is primarily limited by water supply and length of the growing season depending on the region across the state. Thus, non-irrigated corn must be managed properly to insure adequate productivity. Moreover, rainfed production is particularly susceptible to future climate change. In this study, we used field-level corn yields from rainfed production to examine climate suitability for nine crop reporting districts (CRDs) in Kansas. The APSIM-Maize model was validated for each CRD and used to simulate yield potentials of corn hybrids from 1980 to 2010. The coefficient that resulted in the highest, most stable yield potential for each corn hybrid was then employed to evaluate the climatic suitability for each hybrid in each CRD. Identifying hybrid response to environment for each CRD can provide farmers with useful information on hybrid selection to ensure stable yields under environmental extremes experienced in each CRD. Improved hybrid selection can also help close the yield gap between the yield potential of each hybrid and the actual yield harvested by farmers.