2024-03-042024-03-042018-05https://hdl.handle.net/2346/97685Corn (Zea mays) in terms of production ranks first for the amount of land cultivated every year in the world (Awika, 2011). In the Texas High Plains, corn is one of the major crops grown in this region and accounts for 41% of total irrigated crop water use (Colaizzi et al., 2008). In this region of Texas, we’re seeing a growing interest in developing corn hybrids that are high-yielding, have quality agronomic performance, and can adapt to the fluctuating environments of the Texas High Plains. In this study, we evaluated the potential commercial value of seventeen experimental corn hybrids that have been developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Corn Breeding Program in Lubbock. Majority of these hybrids have a high natural accumulation of anthocyanin (HI-A trait) within the plant tissues. The hybrids with the HI-A traits were termed “HI-A hybrids”. The objective of this study was to characterize the HI-A hybrids for grain yield and agronomic traits to determine the effect of genetic background and environments on the expression of the HI-A trait; and to develop a high throughput method for quantitative measurement of the cob strength of HI-A hybrid cobs. The 17 experimental hybrids along with three commercial checks were evaluated in 2016 and 2017 under well-watered and post-tassel drought stress conditions in Lubbock, TX and under limited-irrigation conditions in Halfway, TX. The HI-A hybrids between the five stiff-stalk HI-A lines B5C2RMA, B5C2RMB, B5C2RMC, B5C2RMD, B5C2RME with non-still stalk lines HBA1, LH123HT, LH150, NS1, PHJ31, PHJ65, PHN82, and PHV78 yielded comparably or higher than the commercial hybrids. They have the potential use for direct commercial production for grain, silage, and/or potentially special chemical compounds.Application/pdfenCornAnthocyaninHI-ACob StrengthUniversal Tensile MachineCorn BreedingTexas High PlainsIrrigationThesisRestricted until 03/2023.