Maize is affected by drought and heat, abiotic stress factors that have been encountered more often in recent years in various parts of Europe. In the area of Turda, Romania, extreme temperatures and heat waves combined with an uneven distribution of precipitation have been recorded that had an unfavorable influence on the maize crop. In this study, the ASI (anthesis-to-silking interval), yield, and stability of 35 old and new maize hybrids created at the Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda were studied under drought and heat conditions. An increase in temperature was observed during vegetative growth and grain filling, and rainfall was deficient during and after flowering. These conditions had a negative influence on ASI, grain filling, and, indirectly, yield, which varied significantly during the seven experimental years. The five newest hybrids (Turda335, Turda2020, Turda380, Sur18/399, and HST148) stood out, with average yields of over 8400 kg ha⁻¹ in unfavorable years and over 15–16,000 kg ha⁻¹ under favorable conditions. They generally outperformed the mean by 29–33%. In contrast, the old hybrids achieved yields up to 22% lower than the experimental mean. Yield was 43.1% lower in 2022 and 31.8% lower in 2023 compared to the best year (2021).

To ensure food and feed security, modern maize hybrids must not only perform well under changing climate conditions but also consistently achieve higher and stable yields, exhibit maximum tolerance to stress factors, and produce high quality grains. In a study conducted in 2022 and 2023, 50 maize hybrids were developed from crosses of five elite (highly productive) inbred lines and ten lines possessing favorable genes for carotenoid content. These hybrids were tested under particularly unfavorable conditions for maize cultivation. The aim was to identify which lines effectively transmit the desired traits to the offspring (general combining ability—GCA), and to identify superior hybrids in terms of productivity, adaptability, and quality (specific combining ability—SCA). The study revealed that total carotenoids ranged from 2.30 to 40.20 μg/g for the inbred lines and from 7.45 to 25.08 μg/g for hybrids. A wider distribution of values was observed in the inbred lines compared to the hybrids for key carotenoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, and β-carotene. Among the hybrids, notable performers in yield, adaptability, and carotenoid content included E390×D302, A452×D302, and A447×D302. The paternal inbred line D302 exhibited a high general combining ability for yield (1446 kg ha⁻¹) and, when crossed with several inbred lines, produced hybrids with enhanced yields and higher levels of zeaxanthin, lutein, and β-carotene, as well as improved unbroken plants percent.

European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn.) is the most important pest of maize, for the conditions on Romania. Through injuries produced, both on the stem and ears, it favors the penetration of the spores of Fusarium sp. in the plant. In this paper, some results were presented regarding the reaction of the new maize creations and some perspective hybrids from Agriculture Research and Development Station Turda (ARDS Turda), to the attack of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn.) larva and the fusarium ear rot (Fusarium sp.), in the period 2020-2022. The climatic conditions during the summer period, recorded at ARDS Turda, were more favorable to the attack in 2021 and 2022 compared to 2020 for the European corn borer, respectively, more favorable to the attack in 2022 compared to 2021 for the fusarium ear rot. Turda 380 and Turda 2020 hybrids showed a tolerance to the attack of European corn borer larva and the lowest values of fusarium ear rot attack. Turda 332, HST A483-11 and HST A483-39 hybrids were more sensitive both to the attack of Ostrinia nubilalis and Fusarium sp.