The study tested nine different types of corn to see how well they could handle drought during the early growth stage. They used a special solution to mimic dry soil conditions. The results showed that when the corn was stressed by lack of water, its ability to sprout and grow was reduced. Some types of corn were better at handling drought than others, with the tougher varieties still able to sprout and grow well even under dry conditions. By looking at how well the corn sprouted and grew, researchers could tell which types were better at handling drought during the early growth stage.