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How yield relates to ash content, D 13 C and D 18 O in maize grown under different water regimes

† Background and Aims Stable isotopes have proved a valuable phenotyping tool when breeding for yield potential and drought adaptation; however, the cost and technical skills involved in isotope analysis limit its large-scale application in breeding programmes. This is particularly so for D 18 O despite the potential relevance of this trait in C 4 crops. The accumulation of minerals (measured as ash content) has been proposed as an inexpensive way to evaluate drought adaptation and yield in C 3 cereals, but little is known of the usefulness of this measure in C 4 cereals such as maize ( Zea mays ). The present study investigates how yield relates to ash content, D 13 C and D 18 O, and evaluates the use of ash content as an alternative or complementary criterion to stable isotopes in assessing yield potential and drought resistance in maize. † Methods A set of tropical maize hybrids developed by CIMMYT were subjected to different water availabil-ities, in order to induce water stress during the reproductive stages under ﬁeld conditions. Ash content and D 13 C were determined in leaves and kernels. In addition, D 18 O was measured in kernels. † Key Results Water regime signiﬁcantly affected yield, ash content and stable isotopes. The results revealed a close relationship between ash content in leaves and the traits informing about plant water status. Ash content in kernels appeared to reﬂect differences in sink–source balance. Genotypic variation in grain yield was mainly explained by the combination of ash content and D 18 O, whilst D 13 C did not explain a signiﬁcant percentage of such variation. † Conclusions Ash content in leaves and kernels proved a useful alternative complementary to D O in kernels for assessing yield in under