rought stress before flowering can impact fertility, of the male (tassel) and the female (ear) inflorescences. From 7 to 10 leaves stage inflorescences are shaped and determined.

During this time, stresses like weed competition or herbicide damages, frost and heat, bear a similar risk and may aggravate negative consequence of drought at flowering.

The full fecundation needs to arrive at flowering, even when facing early periods of drought.

• The drought tolerant hybrids will have its tassel well filled by fertile and productive spikelets.
• The drought tolerant hybrid will show less reductions in kernel row number, and total kernel number, than others.

The early development of a deep reaching root system can help improving water uptake efficiency in later phases of drought.

• Well-adapted hybrids respond to early drought stress, by making deep reaching, longer roots. It is often connected to reduced near-surface roots and interacting with nitrogen presence in the soil.