Sigma Xi Poster Competition
Assessing Drought Resilience of Corn Hybrids in Kentucky: A County-Level Study of Yield and Drought Severity
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
Major
Agriculture
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Iin P. Handayani, PhD
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Assessing Drought Resilience of Corn Hybrids in Kentucky:
A County-Level Study of Yield and Drought Severity
Somasekhar Auduti and Dr. Iin P. Handayani, PhD
Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Kentucky, USA
ABSTRACT
Understanding how corn hybrids respond to drought is critical for selecting varieties that can perform well under stress. This study evaluated the drought resilience of corn hybrids across three counties in Kentucky: Caldwell, Fulton, and Woodford. Yield data were obtained from the University of Kentucky’s 2023 Hybrid Corn Performance Test, and drought severity ratings (D1 + D2 levels) were collected from NOAA’s U.S. Drought Monitor. Using Python, these datasets were merged to analyze the relationship between drought intensity and hybrid yield. Pearson correlation was used to assess the strength of association between drought severity and yield, while one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tested for differences in yield among counties. Linear regression estimated the impact of drought on yield, and a yield stability index was calculated using the coefficient of variation to rank hybrid performance under stress. The results showed that increased drought severity generally led to lower yields, but some hybrids consistently performed better across conditions. These findings can help Kentucky growers choose hybrids that are more likely to withstand dry conditions and support more resilient crop production.
Keywords: Corn, Drought, Hybrid performance, Kentucky, Stability index
Spring Scholars Week 2025
Sigma Xi Poster Competition
Assessing Drought Resilience of Corn Hybrids in Kentucky: A County-Level Study of Yield and Drought Severity
Assessing Drought Resilience of Corn Hybrids in Kentucky:
A County-Level Study of Yield and Drought Severity
Somasekhar Auduti and Dr. Iin P. Handayani, PhD
Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Kentucky, USA
ABSTRACT
Understanding how corn hybrids respond to drought is critical for selecting varieties that can perform well under stress. This study evaluated the drought resilience of corn hybrids across three counties in Kentucky: Caldwell, Fulton, and Woodford. Yield data were obtained from the University of Kentucky’s 2023 Hybrid Corn Performance Test, and drought severity ratings (D1 + D2 levels) were collected from NOAA’s U.S. Drought Monitor. Using Python, these datasets were merged to analyze the relationship between drought intensity and hybrid yield. Pearson correlation was used to assess the strength of association between drought severity and yield, while one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tested for differences in yield among counties. Linear regression estimated the impact of drought on yield, and a yield stability index was calculated using the coefficient of variation to rank hybrid performance under stress. The results showed that increased drought severity generally led to lower yields, but some hybrids consistently performed better across conditions. These findings can help Kentucky growers choose hybrids that are more likely to withstand dry conditions and support more resilient crop production.
Keywords: Corn, Drought, Hybrid performance, Kentucky, Stability index