Maize tolerance

Maize tolerance is defined as the ability of a genotype to withstand the negative impact of stressors without a significant reduction in yield. Unlike resistance, which excludes the influence of a stress factor, tolerance allows the plant to adapt to damage or adverse environmental conditions, maintaining a stable level of productivity during critical growth phases.

Methods for assessing tolerance include the use of artificial infection or infestation backgrounds, for example, when studying the response to the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), as well as long-term field trials in various climatic zones. Specialized biometric-genetic indicators, adaptability indices, and expert scoring scales for assessing the degree of plant suppression are used for stability analysis.

High tolerance ensures the stability of total yield and reduces risks in regions with unstable weather conditions. Hybrids with this trait possess technological flexibility, which allows for mitigating the impact of weather fluctuations, optimizing sowing dates, and increasing the overall economic efficiency of crop cultivation.