Kernel number and kernel weight stability can vary across corn hybrids

The stability of a trait refers to the extent to which its expression in a given genotype varies across environments. The more stable a trait, the less variable its expression. Grain yield stability is a central consideration in corn production to ensure that hybrids perform consistently across environments and is frequently quantified given its importance. Little attention has been paid to the stability of corn yield components, kernel number per m2 (KN), and kernel weight (KW). Our hypothesis is that while previous research suggests that yield stability of commercial corn hybrids is generally consistent, the stabilities of KN and KW may exhibit significant differences, even when overall yield stability remains constant. This study evaluated the yield and yield component stabilities of 23 commercial corn hybrids conducted on‐farm at five location‐years in Ontario, Canada, using Finlay–Wilkinson regression. Most (61%) hybrids exhibited average yield stability with β1‐values close to 1.0. But seven hybrids displaying average yield stability had KN and/or KW stabilities significantly different than average. While in absolute terms, KW was always more stable than KN across environments, the data indicate that hybrids have different mechanisms to achieve stable yields in terms of relative yield component adjustments. Overall, 14 hybrids had yield component β1‐values significantly more or less stable than average. The instances where yield component β1‐values differed significantly from 1.0 were almost equally divided between KN and KW. These findings support the potential for hybrid‐specific corn management, that is, tailoring management practices to take advantage of hybrid variation in yield component stabilities. Core Ideas The stability of yield components (kernel number per m2 [KN] and kernel weight [KW]) are not commonly studied. For hybrids with similar yield stability values, stabilities of yield components (KN and KW) could differ. Differences in yield component stabilities may explain existing findings of hybrid‐specific response to management. Larger datasets with replications within sites should be used to validate these findings in a wider range of hybrids.