Production Of Hybrids Research Articles

Valorization of Protein Materials Through Mechanochemistry and Self-Assembly.

The concept of combining mixing of solids by milling (a type of mechanochemistry) with aqueous self-assembly provides interesting possibilities for energy efficient production of advanced nanomaterials. Many proteins are outstanding building blocks for self-assembly, a prominent example being the conversion of proteins into protein nanofibrils (PNFs) - a structure related to amyloid fibrils. PNFs have attractive mechanical properties and have a tendency to form ordered materials. They are accordingly of interest as materials for bioplastics and potentially also for more high-tech applications. In this concept article we highlight our effort on valorization of such proteins with hydrophobic organic compounds such an organic dyes and drug molecules, by developing scalable methodology combining mechanochemistry and self-assembly. Compared to more established methodology, mechanochemical methodology is a valuable complement as it allows potential scalable production of hybrids between e. g. proteins and highly hydrophobic compounds - a class of hybrid material that is difficult to access by other means. This may allow for development of sustainable processes for fabrication of advanced protein-based materials derivable from renewable source materials.

Autochthonous Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania tropica, Identified by Using Whole-Genome Sequencing, Sri Lanka.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is atypical in Sri Lanka because Leishmania donovani, which typically causes visceral disease, is the causative agent. The origins of recently described hybrids between L. donovani and other Leishmania spp. usually responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis remain unknown. Other endemic dermotropic Leishmania spp. have not been reported in Sri Lanka. Genome analysis of 27 clinical isolates from Sri Lanka and 32 Old World Leishmania spp. strains found 8 patient isolates clustered with L. tropica and 19 with L. donovani. The L. tropica isolates from Sri Lanka shared markers with strain LtK26 reported decades ago in India, indicating they were not products of recent interspecies hybridization. Because L. tropica was isolated from patients with leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka, our findings indicate L. donovani is not the only cause of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka and potentially explains a haplotype that led to interspecies dermotropic L. donovani hybrids.

Liposomal fusion of plant-based extracellular vesicles to enhance skin anti-inflammation

This study reports a hybrid extracellular vesicle (EV)/liposome system developed through vesicular membrane fusion between anti-inflammatory Hydrangea macrophylla leaf EVs (HML-EVs) and terpinen-4-ol/azelamide monoethanolamine-loaded liposomes. Successful liposomal fusion between HML-EVs and terpinen-4-ol/azelamide monoethanolamine-loaded-liposome membranes, confirmed using the two-color fluorescence resonance energy transfer mechanism, enabled the scaled production of a stable hybrid HML-EV/liposome dispersion at a length scale of 100–200 nm. We show that the hybrid EV/liposome significantly inhibits apoptosis by nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-α production. Furthermore, HML-EV/liposomes can inhibit the synthesis of protease-activated receptor-2, interleukin-6, c-Jun, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin, thus exhibiting anti-inflammatory performance. These findings highlight that the hybrid EV/liposome system established in this study alleviates skin irritation and improves skin anti-inflammation.

Продуктивность подсолнечника в зависимости от основной обработки почвы и агрохимикатов

In modern conditions the most effective way to increase the gross production of sunflower oilseeds is the selection of the most productive hybrids and realisation of their potential productivity by improving sunflower cultivation technology for specific soil and climatic conditions of the zone. Therefore, this topic is certainly relevant. Field experience was conducted on the experimental field of LLC ‘Kolos’ Mikhailovsky district of Volgograd region in 2020-2023. The main purpose of the research was to determine the optimal methods of basic cultivation, as well as a comprehensive assessment of the productivity of sunflower hybrids for the subzone of dark chestnut soils of the Volgograd region. On average for 2021-2023 years, the lowest photosynthetic potential of sunflower Suzuka was formed on the variant of disc tillage at a depth of 0.18-0.20 m without the use of leaf fertilisers with microfertilisers and was equal to 1062 thousand m2 day/ha. The lowest photosynthetic potential of sunflower Suzuka was formed on the variant of disc tillage at a depth of 0.18-0.20 m without the application of leaf fertilisers with microfertilisers and was equal to 1062 thousand m2 day/ha. The highest photosynthetic potential of 1755 thousand m2 day/ha was formed on the variant of ploughing to a depth of 0.25-0.27 m with the application of fertiliser Fulvigrain. The lowest biological yield on average for 2021-2023 years was formed on the variant of shallow disc cultivation without application of leaf fertiliser and was 2.04 t/ha. The highest biological yield was formed on the variant of ploughing to a depth of 0.25-0.27 m with the application of fertiliser Fulvigrain and was 3.02 t/ha.The lowest economic yield on average for 2021-2023 years was formed on the variant of shallow disc cultivation without application of leaf fertiliser and was 1.94 t/ha.On the variant with application of fertiliser Aidamin economic yield was 0.13 t/ha higher.In the variant with application of Fulvigrain fertiliser the economic yield was 0.21 t/ha more compared to the control variant.On variants of flat-cutting tillage at a depth of 0.25-0.27 m economic yield in comparison with variants on the background of disc tillage at a depth of 0.18-0.20 m was 0.48-0.63 t/ha more.The highest economic yield was formed on the variant of ploughing to a depth of 0.25-0.27 m with the application of Fulvigrain fertiliser and was 2.88 t/ha.

Grain productivity and nutrient accumulation in millet straw grown in the off-season

Given the growing demand for grains cultivation in the off-season, an experiment was conducted to evaluate grain yield and nutrient accumulation in straw, straw production, and decomposition of pearl millet varieties and hybrids cultivated at different sowing times in off-season in the municipality of Rio Verde, state of Goiás. This was a randomized block experimental design, with four replications and four planting times. The work was carried out on an Oxisol, using two forage varieties, ADR300 and ADR500, the dual-purpose pearl millet hybrid ADR8010 for grain and biomass production, and two grain hybrids, ADR9010 and ADR 9020. The accumulation of macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur) was quantified in the straw at grain harvest. Hybrids ADR 9010 and ADR 9020 had the highest grain yield in the first season, with 2,626 and 2,425 kg ha-1, respectively, while the ADR 9010 hybrid showed the highest accumulation of macronutrients (except phosphorus) in the straw. Hybrid ADR 9010 is the best option for planting in the off-season with the objective of grain production, with high biomass production and accumulation of nutrients in the straw.

Gene action and hybrid vigour for yield, yield components and tolerance to the Two-Spotted Spider mite in summer squash

An investigation was conducted at Kaha Vegetable Research Farm in the Kaliobia Governorate from 2021 to 2023 with an aim to evaluate the performance of six inbred lines of summer squash and their fifteen crosses in both open field and plastic greenhouse conditions. The study spanned two successive summer seasons (2022 and 2023) and focused on assessing horticultural traits and resistance levels to the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). Significant variations were observed in the mean performance of all traits among different genotypes. Analysis revealed significant differences in both general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities for all studied traits, except for the number of days to anthesis of the first female flower, indicating the presence of both additive and non-additive gene effects in traits inheritance. In the plastic greenhouse, genotype P3 exhibited the highest resistance with an average of 10.6 mites per 2 inches², while the cross P2 × P6 showed tolerance with an average of 4.4 mites per 2 inches². This study highlights the potential of new summer squash hybrids with desirable horticultural traits and resistance to the two-spotted spider mite. Additionally, parent 222/2 (P1) demonstrated the best combining ability for all traits, while parents 264 (P5) and 240/3 (P4) were the most effective combiners for total yield. Breeders may leverage these parents for genetic enhancement and the production of hybrids with superior horticultural qualities. Overall, this research provides valuable insights for researchers, breeders and farmers involved in the cultivation, breeding and utilization of summer squash in Egypt.

Application of mannitol as pre-treatment and sucrose supports callus induction through anther culture in Gossypium arboreum

Diploid or tree cotton (Gossypium arboreum) species may provide a breeding source for fiber quality and disease resistance. Developing homozygous lines of Gossypium arboreum through anther culture can be a successful strategy for breeding the parental lines needed for cotton hybrids. This study describes callus induction on four G. arboreum genoytypes under various concentrations of sucrose as well as plant growth regulators. Explant materials were derived from immature anther and grew on modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) media. Prior to main treatment, mannitol application were applied to anthers with concentration of 0.7 M and modified MS media consisted of 3%, 5%, and 7% sucrose, as well as an addition of IAA, NAA, BAP, 2,4-D and Kin. Optimum callus formation was observed in Marvi genotype, in a medium containg IAA as well as sucrose between 5-7%. Furthermore, combination of IAA and NAA with sucrose 7% indicates highest number of embryogenic calli. However, Marvi genotype showed decreased rate of callus formation when the amount of sucrose increased on MS supplemented with NAA medium. The results indicated that the best formula on each genotypes were different. However, MS media with IAA (1 mg/l) + kin (0.2 mg/l) + CM (70 ml/l) + sucrose 5% provided the best performance to produce embryogenic calli on each genotypes. Our report can be utilized as an opportunity and strategy to obtain double haploid lines as a parental source in hybrid production.

Stigma and Glume Characteristics Synergistically Determine the Stigma Exsertion Rate in Thermo-Photo-Sensitive Genic Male Sterile Wheat.

Wheat hybrids have been widely demonstrated to have remarkable heterosis or hybrid vigor in increasing yield potential and stability since the 1960s. Two-line hybrid wheat can achieve higher yields than local varieties, especially in marginal environments. However, the commercial application of hybrid wheat is hindered by higher seed costs, primarily due to lower yields in hybrid seed production. Stigma exsertion has been verified as a decisive factor in increasing rice's hybrid seed yield, but more investigation is needed in hybrid wheat breeding and production. In this study, four thermo-photo-sensitive genic male sterile lines, including K41S, K64S, K66S, and K68S, with different stigma exsertion rates (SERs) were used to compare the differences in floral architecture relative to stigma exsertion over two growing seasons. The results revealed that the K41S and K64S exhibited a relatively higher SER at 21.87% and 22.81%, respectively. No exserted stigma was observed in K66S, and K68S had an SER of only 0.82%. This study found that the stigma length, glume width and the length-width ratio of the glume were significantly correlated with the SER, with correlation coefficients of 0.46, -0.46 and 0.60, respectively. Other stigma features such as the branch angle, stretch width and hairbrush length, as well as the glume length, also had a weakly positive correlation with SER (r = 0.09-0.27). For K41S and K64S, the SER was significantly affected by the differences in the stigma branch angle and stigma stretch width among florets. A cross-pollination survey showed that the out-crossing ability of florets with an exserted stigma was about three times as high as that of florets with a non-exserted stigma. As a result, the stigma-exserted florets that accounted for 21.87% and 22.81% of the total florets in K41S and K64S produced 46.80% and 48.53% of the total cross-pollinated seeds in both sterile lines. These findings suggest that a longer stigma combined with a slender glume appears to be the essential floral feature of stigma exsertion in sterile wheat lines. It is expected that breeding and utilizing sterile lines with a higher SER would be a promising solution to cost-effective hybrid wheat seed production.

The ‘meathybrid’ concept: bridging the gap between texture, taste, sustainability and nutrition

SummaryPositioned midway between traditional meat and plant‐based options, hybrid alternatives cater to a broader consumer category due to the intersection of flavours, textures and ethical considerations. This review aims to provide a current landscape and forthcoming challenges of hybrid options, exploring their formulation, processing, distinctive features, consumer acceptance and sustainability aspects. Even though there is no standard definition of the ‘meathybrid concept’, scientists and industrials explored different ingredients including purified proteins or whole vegetables/grains/seeds to formulate palatable hybrid products maintaining comparable sensory features to meat. Consumers' attraction to hybrid meat products is mostly related to taste, sustainability and nutritional aspects. Future challenges for hybrid options may include optimising production scalability, ensuring consistent quality and taste and effectively communicating the benefits of hybrid products to diverse consumer segments. Additionally, ongoing research and development efforts will be crucial in enhancing hybrid alternatives' sensory attributes, nutritional profiles and environmental sustainability.

Performance of tropical and subtropical maize inbred lines under well-watered and drought-stressed environments

Drought is a major constraint for maize production in sub-Saharan Africa. Developing high-yielding drought-tolerant maize germplasm will safeguard maize yields in the ever-increasing fluctuating rainfall conditions. This study aimed to identify high-yielding inbred lines with stable performance for utilization in hybrid production. One hundred eighty-two (182) maize inbred lines were evaluated under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions at Ukulinga, Makhathini, and Cedara research stations in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The experiments were carried out in a 13 × 14 alpha lattice design with two replications. The inbred lines exhibited significant differences (p ≤ 0.001) for grain yield and yield-related traits under well-watered and drought-stressed environments. The GGE biplot identified three mega-environments, clearly separating drought-stressed from well-watered environments. Inbred lines TZISTR1190, TZISTR1231, TZISTR1261 and CML540 were superior under well-watered conditions, while TZISTR1164 and CML390 performed well under drought condition. TZISTR1190 displayed both high average yield and stability across environments. Inbred lines combining stable high yielding performance in optimum and stress conditions such as TZISTR1190 and TZISTR1231, can be incorporated into local maize breeding pipelines to develop stable high yielding resilient hybrids.

Opportunities and challenges of hybrid meat products: a viewpoint article

SummaryHybrid foods are made by blending animal‐based and plant‐based ingredients to make food products that are similar to the 100% animal‐based ones. Examples include hybrid meat products such as burgers or minced meat with vegetables or more recently hybrid dairy products such as cheddar cheese with oats. While hybrid meat products have been launched in several countries by both retailers and foodservice outlets, there are very few examples of hybrid meat products still available in the market, such as hybrid nuggets targeting children and hybrid minced meat products. This short viewpoint article covers some of the possible reasons this might be happening, presents examples of successful hybrid food products, discusses the importance of sustainability claims and the potential of hybrid meals.

MS2/GmAMS1 encodes a bHLH transcription factor important for tapetum degeneration in soybean.

GmAMS1 is the only functional AMS and works with GmTDF1-1 and GmMS3 to orchestrate the tapetum degeneration in soybean. Heterosis could significantly increase the production of major crops as well as soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Stable male-sterile/female-fertile mutants including ms2 are useful resources to apply in soybean hybrid production. Here, we identified the detailed mutated sites of two classic mutants ms2 (Eldorado) and ms2 (Ames) in MS2/GmAMS1 via the high-throughput sequencing method. Subsequently, we verified that GmAMS1, a bHLH transcription factor, is the only functional AMS member in soybean through the complementary experiment in Arabidopsis; and elucidated the dysfunction of its homolog GmAMS2 is caused by the premature stop codon in the gene's coding sequence. Further qRT-PCR analysis and protein-protein interaction assays indicated GmAMS1 is required for expressing downstream members in the putative DYT1-TDF1-AMS-MYB80/MYB103/MS188-MS1 cascade module, and might regulate the upstream members in a feedback mechanism. GmAMS1 could interact with GmTDF1-1 and GmMS3 via different region, which contributes to dissect the mechanism in the tapetum degeneration process. Additionally, as a core member in the conserved cascade module controlling the tapetum development and degeneration, AMS is conservatively present in all land plant lineages, implying that AMS-mediated signaling pathway has been established before land plants diverged, which provides further insight into the tapetal evolution.

Discovery of a Hybrid Molecule with Phytotoxic Activity by Genome Mining, Heterologous Expression, and OSMAC Strategy.

Genome mining in association with the OSMAC (one strain, many compounds) approach provides a feasible strategy to extend the chemical diversity and novelty of natural products. In this study, we identified the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) of restricticin, a promising antifungal agent featuring a reactive primary amine, from the fungus Aspergillus sclerotiorum LZDX-33-4 by genome mining. Combining heterologous expression and the OSMAC strategy resulted in the production of a new hybrid product (1), along with N-acetyl-restricticin (2) and restricticinol (3). The structure of 1 was determined by spectroscopic data, including optical rotation and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, for configurational assignment. Compound 1 represents a fusion of restricticin and phytotoxic cichorin. The biosynthetic pathway of 1 was proposed, in which the condensation of a primary amine of restricticin with a precursor of cichorine was postulated. Compound 1 at 5 mM concentration inhibited the growth of the shoots and roots of Lolium perenne, Festuca arundinacea, and Lactuca sativa with inhibitory rates of 71.3 and 88.7% for L. perenne, 79.4 and 73.0% for F. arundinacea, and 58.2 and 52.9% for L. sativa. In addition, compound 1 at 25 μg/mL showed moderate antifungal activity against Fusarium fujikuroi and Trichoderma harzianum with inhibition rates of 22.6 and 31.6%, respectively. These results suggest that heterologous expression in conjunction with the OSMAC approach provides a promising strategy to extend the metabolite novelty due to the incorporation of endogenous metabolites from the host strain with exogenous compounds, leading to the production of more complex compounds and the acquisition of new physiological functions.

Development of Apomictic 56-Chromosomal Maize-Tripsacum Hybrids: A Potential Breakthrough in Heterosis Fixation.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most demanded grain crops in the world. Currently, production has exceeded one billion tons and is increasing by 3-5% annually. Such growth is due to the genetic potential of the crop and the use of heterosis F1 hybrids in production. However, the need to produce first-generation seed annually poses significant challenges and is an economically costly technology. A solution to this problem may be the transfer of the asexual (apomictic) mode of reproduction to maize from its wild relative, eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.). In this work, we report the production of 56-chromosome apomictic hybrids of maize (Zea mays L.) with eastern gamagrass (T. dactyloides L.) with restored anther fertility. The mode of reproduction of the plant was confirmed by counting chromosomes and sequencing the nuclear gene (Pox3) and chloroplast tRNA-Leu (trnL) gene. These apomictic hybrids had karyotypes of 2n = 56 = [(10Zm(573MB) + 36Td) + 10Zm(611CB)] and 2n = 56 = [(10Zm(611CB) + 36Td) + 10Zm(611CB)]. The resulting hybrids can be widely used as a fodder crop.

A new global hybrid map of annual herbaceous cropland at a 500 m resolution for the year 2019

Abstract The global spatial extent of croplands is a crucial input to global and regional agricultural monitoring and modeling systems. Although many new remotely-sensed products are now appearing due to recent advances in the spatial and temporal resolution of satellite sensors, there are still issues with these products that are related to the definition of cropland used and the accuracies of these maps, particularly when examined spatially. To address the needs of the agricultural monitoring community, here we have created a hybrid map of global cropland extent at a 500 m resolution by fusing two of the latest high resolution remotely-sensed cropland products: the European Space Agency’s WorldCereal and the cropland layer from the University of Maryland. We aggregated the two products to a common resolution of 500 m to produce percentage cropland and compared them spatially, calculating two kinds of disagreement: density disagreement, where the two maps differ by more than 80%, and absence-presence of cropland disagreement, where one map indicates the presence of cropland while the other does not. Based on these disagreements, we selected continuous areas of disagreement, referred to in the paper as hotspots of disagreement, for manual correction by experts using the Geo-Wiki land cover application. The hybrid map was then validated using a stratified random sample based on the disagreement layer, where the sample was visually interpreted by a different set of experts using Geo-Wiki. The results show that the hybrid product improves upon the overall accuracy statistics in the areas where the underlying cropland layer from the University of Maryland was improved with the WorldCereal product, but more importantly, it represents an improved spatially explicit cropland mask for early warning and food security assessment purposes.

Heterosis formation mechanism, prediction methods, and their application and prospect in pig production.

Heterosis is the phenomenon that the hybrid offspring outperform two-parent population. Hybridisation has been widely used in plant and animal production as it effectively improves the growth and developmental performance, reproductive performance and disease resistance of the offspring. Hybridization can effectively improve the growth and development performance, reproductive performance and disease resistance of offspring, so it is widely used in animal and plant production. Researchers have used cross-breeding techniques to cultivate excellent new agricultural and animal husbandry strains and supporting lines such as super-excellent Chaoyou 1000 hybrid rice, Xiaoyan No.6 hybrid wheat, Dumeng sheep, and Shanxia black pigs. However, there are still some urgent problems in the current hybrid dominance research: the existing hybrid dominance theory can only partially explain the phenomenon of plant and animal hybrid dominance, and the theory of animal hybrid dominance is less researched, and the accuracy of the existing hybrid dominance prediction methods is limited. China is the world's largest pork production and consumption country. Heterosis can effectively improve the production performance of pigs, and its application in the pig industry has important economic and research value. However, the existing research on pig hybrid production is in its infancy and needs to be further studied. In this review, we summarize the existing heterosis theory, heterosis prediction methods, and their application in pig production, to provide a reference for the application of heterosis in pig breeding.

A religião em Gilberto Freyre - Sincretismo e a civilização «cristocêntrica»

In this article, I seek to dialogue with the thesis of alternative modernity in Freyre’s work from a less explored dimension: the religious one. Using texts and excerpts explicitly problematizing religion’s role in Brazil’s social formation, I show how we can read this alternative modernity in the light of an «alternative religiosity». This text then explores the author’s intuition of the influence of the Orient in the forms of the social organization of colonial Brazil. It is argued that this should be understood as refracted by Christianity and that the latter assumes a fundamental role in the cultural production of hybridity. This combination has its ethical core, allowing us to understand the utopian sense of some of Freyre’s theses. A sense which cannot be dissociated from a very particular attempt at the «invention» of national identity.

Health and functional advantages of cheese containing soy protein and soybean-derived casein.

The global food system faces a challenge of sustainably producing enough food, and especially protein, to meet the needs of a growing global population. In developed countries, approximately 2/3 of protein comes from animal sources and 1/3 from plants. For an assortment of reasons, dietary recommendations call for populations in these countries to replace some of their animal protein with plant protein. Because it is difficult to substantially change dietary habits, increasing plant protein may require the creation of novel foods that meet the nutritional, orosensory, and functional attributes consumers desire. In contrast to plant-based milks, plant-based cheeses have not been widely embraced by consumers. The existing plant-based cheeses do not satisfactorily mimic dairy cheese as plant proteins are unable to replicate the functional properties of casein, which plays such a key role in cheese. One possible solution to overcome current constraints that is currently being explored, is to produce hybrid products containing soy protein and soybean-derived casein. Producing soybean-derived casein is possible by utilizing traditional genetic engineering tools, like Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation, to express genes in soybeans that produce casein. If a cheese containing soy protein and soybean-derived casein satisfactorily mimics dairy, it presents an opportunity for increasing plant protein intake since US dairy cheese consumption has been steadily increasing. Soybeans are an excellent choice of crop for producing casein because soybeans are widely available and play a large role in the US and world food supply. Additionally, because a casein-producing soybean offers soybean farmers the opportunity to grow a value-added crop, expectations are that it will be welcomed by the agricultural community. Thus, there are benefits to both the consumer and farmer.

Development and Characterization of Hybrid Burgers Made from Pork and Multi-Ingredient Plant Mixtures and Protected with Lactic Acid Bacteria

Hybrid (meat–plant) products can be a sustainable response to the increased interest in flexitarianism. Their development requires designing appropriate composition and functional properties and ensuring microbiological safety. This study aimed to determine the influence of using various multi-ingredient plant mixtures and pork in different proportions and two recipe variants on the characteristics of baked burgers. Additionally, the impact of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) application on the microbiological quality of raw hybrid/plant burgers was assessed. All products were analyzed in terms of basic chemical composition (NIR spectroscopy) and physicochemical and textural properties (instrumental methods). The raw plant and hybrid burgers met the microbiological requirements. The baked burgers did not significantly differ in terms of their chemical composition, except for the fiber found in plant/hybrid samples. Moreover, the reformulation of burgers had no effect on their cooking yield or water activity. As the content of plant parts increased, the baked burgers were darker (lower L*) and had a more tender texture (lower shear force and penetration force). Overall, the multi-ingredient plant mixtures showed great potential in the development of high-quality hybrid burgers. However, the texture formed can, importantly, determine final consumer acceptance. Therefore, research should be continued, especially in terms of comprehensive textural and sensory analyses.

The effect of sowing time on productivity of new maize hybrids

The relevance of the current study is due to the fact that global warming in the south of Russia has significantly moved forward the onset of the hot period, especially in areas of risky farming. Sowing at the previously recommended scientifically based optimal time no longer guarantees stable yields of maize. Based on this, the purpose of the study was to determine the effect of the sowing time of new promising maize hybrids of our own breeding on productivity and yield structure elements in the steppe part of Kabardino-Balkaria. The study was carried out in field trials on the field of the research and production site of the Institute of Agriculture of the KBRC of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2019–2021. In general, during the years of study, weather conditions were typical for the steppe area of the KBR. As a result, there was determined that the optimal sowing time for maize hybrids was the second decade of April. When sowing at this time, there was identified productivity improvement and an increase in the values of yield elements. On the contrary, sowing in the third decade has shown a decrease in the values of these indicators in all studied samples. During the second sowing period, there was the greatest productivity decrease among the late-maturing hybrids ‘Karat SV’, ‘Terek’ and the hybrid population ‘Kabardinskaya 3812’ by 1.4; 1.5 and 1.8 t/ha, respectively. The middle-early hybrid ‘Maisky 260 MV’ has shown a smaller decrease by 0.7 t/ha. During the first sowing period, number of ears per 100 plants increased by 4–11 pieces. The ears were better grained with 5–60 pieces of the excess over the second period. The weight of one cob during the first sowing period ranged 105–120 g on average, which was 9–22 g more than the same indicator during the second sowing period.