Synthetic varieties of Corn (Zea mays L.) are better buffered against environmental stresses in sustainable agricultural systems than cu.itivars with a narrow genetic base. A full-sib (FS) recurrent selection (RS) program was started at the University of Florida using a tropical open pollinated com population The goal was to develop a synthetic with a broad genetic base suitable to be grown during the fall in north-central Florida under conservation practices. Full-sib crosses were made in the spring of 1987. Then, in August a progeny test was planted in a randomized complete block design with si..x replications. Collected data included; ear, husk, and grain weight, insect damage (ID), whole plant yield (WY), seed and leaf N percent, and plant height. Analyses included ANOV A, correlations (r), heritabilities, and frequency distribution. There were differences betweenFS families for most of the traits. Ear weiglit (EW) was highly positively r (+ r) with yield and plant height traits. Ear weight was negatively r (-r) with ID and+ r with leaf N percent of FS families. Tip ID was -r with husk weight. Heritability varied for all traits. The mean EW of the FS were higher than the parents and the Pioneer hybrid X-304C. Selection for EW improved WY, earworm (Heliotliis zea L.) tolerance and N uptake.