By all accounts, the drought of 2011 is taking a heavy toll on corn yields across the U.S. The major seed companies have been working on drought-tolerant hybrids that can produce stable yields in low-moisture environments and under more normal growing conditions. Pioneer’s Monica Patterson discussed Pioneer’s new Optimum AquaMax hybrids at a media field day conducted by Pioneer in Johnston, Iowa.

Pioneer began its research, focusing on the western Corn Belt, according to Patterson. More recently, the company has begun marketing the Optimum AquaMax hybrids for dryland corn acres in the Mid-South and Southeast.