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Agriculture
Volume 16
Issue 13
10.3390/agriculture16131385
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Article

Assessment of Seed Quality and Kernel Morphological Trait Stability in Two Maize Hybrids Across Four Growing Seasons

by
Vasileios Greveniotis
1,2,*,
Elisavet Bouloumpasi
3,
Stylianos Zotis
2,†,
Adriana Skendi
3,
Athanasios Korkovelos
4,
Dimitrios Kantas
5 and
Constantinos G. Ipsilandis
6
1
Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, Hellenic Agricultural Organization DIMITRA (ELGO-DIMITRA),GR-41335 Larissa, Greece
2
Department of Agricultural Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Western Macedonia, GR-53100 Florina, Greece
3
Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Democritus University of Thrace, GR-66100 Drama, Greece
4
Directorate of Water Management of Thessaly, Decentralized Administration of Thessaly—Central Greece, GR-41335 Larissa, Greece
5
Department of Animal Science, University of Thessaly, Campus Gaiopolis, GR-41500 Larissa, Greece
6
Regional Administration of West Macedonia, GR-50131 Kozani, Greece
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Deceased.
Agriculture 2026, 16(13), 1385; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131385 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 21 May 2026 / Revised: 16 June 2026 / Accepted: 24 June 2026 / Published: 25 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Seed Science and Technology)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Maize seed quality and kernel morphological traits are important determinants of grain utilization and are influenced by both genetic factors and growing-season conditions. This study evaluated the stability of seed quality and kernel morphological traits in two commercial maize hybrids (Costanza and LG 3535) across four growing seasons, three row spacing systems, and two plant density levels. Seed quality traits (protein, fat, ash, starch, crude fiber, and moisture content) and kernel morphological traits (length, width, and thickness) were evaluated using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. Significant effects of hybrid, growing season, row spacing, and their interactions were detected for most evaluated traits. Growing-season variability influenced seed composition and kernel morphology, while row spacing and plant density further contributed to trait expression. Costanza exhibited greater stability for most traits, particularly starch content and kernel morphology, whereas LG 3535 showed more variable responses across growing seasons and row spacing combinations. Correlation and multivariate analyses revealed strong associations among starch content, kernel width, and kernel thickness, whereas protein, ash, and crude fiber were less closely associated with kernel size traits. These findings demonstrate the importance of hybrid × growing-season interactions in shaping maize kernel characteristics and highlight the value of multi-environment evaluation for identifying hybrids with stable kernel quality traits under Mediterranean production conditions.
Keywords: grain composition; maturity class; row spacing; plant density; multivariate analysis; Mediterranean conditions grain composition; maturity class; row spacing; plant density; multivariate analysis; Mediterranean conditions

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MDPI and ACS Style

Greveniotis, V.; Bouloumpasi, E.; Zotis, S.; Skendi, A.; Korkovelos, A.; Kantas, D.; Ipsilandis, C.G. Assessment of Seed Quality and Kernel Morphological Trait Stability in Two Maize Hybrids Across Four Growing Seasons. Agriculture 2026, 16, 1385. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131385

AMA Style

Greveniotis V, Bouloumpasi E, Zotis S, Skendi A, Korkovelos A, Kantas D, Ipsilandis CG. Assessment of Seed Quality and Kernel Morphological Trait Stability in Two Maize Hybrids Across Four Growing Seasons. Agriculture. 2026; 16(13):1385. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131385

Chicago/Turabian Style

Greveniotis, Vasileios, Elisavet Bouloumpasi, Stylianos Zotis, Adriana Skendi, Athanasios Korkovelos, Dimitrios Kantas, and Constantinos G. Ipsilandis. 2026. "Assessment of Seed Quality and Kernel Morphological Trait Stability in Two Maize Hybrids Across Four Growing Seasons" Agriculture 16, no. 13: 1385. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131385

APA Style

Greveniotis, V., Bouloumpasi, E., Zotis, S., Skendi, A., Korkovelos, A., Kantas, D., & Ipsilandis, C. G. (2026). Assessment of Seed Quality and Kernel Morphological Trait Stability in Two Maize Hybrids Across Four Growing Seasons. Agriculture, 16(13), 1385. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131385

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