b'Corn vs. SorghumCorn acreage is also closely tied to grain sorghum in the south. Larson notes that corn has gained some ground in tra-ditionally sorghum-heavy regions, but sorghum remains more stable under drought.Corn doesnt have the drought stress tolerance and stability of grain sorghum, he says. In a good rainfall year you get a good yield, but in a dry year corn may only reach about half its potential. And the input costs are the same, so margins get thin.Hajovsky agrees, noting that drought in the Texas Panhandle has driven more sorghum acres for many years.The Bigger Constraint Isnt WeatherHajovsky believes future corn acreage inCorn harvest near New Braunfels, Texas, where growers balance input costs, water the south will be shaped less by weatheravailability and hybrid selection to remain competitive in a challenging economic and more by economics. environment.It doesnt matter where you go, from farmers to big ag companies, its a very bad economic situation, he says. Inflation is high on input costs. Interest rates are high. Fertilizer prices are likely to stay high. Cotton prices will matter too.Chammoun notes that declin-ing cotton profits have already driven increased corn acreage in parts of the deep south, with growers investing in infrastructure to support the shift. Hajovsky also points to beef prices as a factor, influencing feed demand and overall corn use.While weather, markets and inputs continue to shift, one thing appears steady. Southern fields will likely remain home to cotton, peanuts, soybeans and corn.And as genetics and management continue to evolve, corns role in south-ern cropping systems looks less like an experiment and more like a permanent fixture.SWEars of corn dry down in a southern field, where nighttime heat and drought tolerance can play a decisive role in final yield.FEBRUARY 2026SEEDWORLD.COM /39'