Corn is highly sensitive to variations in plant population and it is one of the most important practices influencing in grain yield. Knowledge about plant physiology and morphology allow understanding how the crop interacts with plant population variation. Considering that for each production system there is a population that optimizes the use of available resources it is necessary to manage plant population to reach maximum grain yield on each particular environment. This study aims to evaluate the strategy of variable rate seeding (VRS) by management zones (MZ). We used different hybrids and five plant populations ranging 20% and 40% above and under the local density recommendation. Three experiments were conducted during 2012 and 2013 in two regions, both rain fed and under non-tillage system. Planting occurred in two distinct growing seasons and geographic regions. The summer season was carried from October until March in a subtropical region, and the fall season (second growing season in the year) was carried from February until July in tropical region. The attributes used to delineate MZ were soil electrical conductivity (EC) yield maps (YM) and elevation. After normalization of the layers, zones were delineated considering the overall average. Regions above 105% the average were considered high production zones (HMZ), transition zone ranged from 95% - 105% of the average and low production zones (LMZ) were the areas under 95% of the average. Strips of populations and hybrids were established only at the high and low production zones. The measured quality of seed distribution obtained acceptable plant spacing close to 95% in one case, but population increase affected the distribution negatively in two of the three case-sites. The analyses of variance were significant (P < 0.05) for triple interaction between hybrids, plant population and MZ. The HMZ reached higher average yield compared to the LMZ and high populations reached higher yield regardless of MZ. Regressions were fitted to model the performance of hybrids in relation to population in each MZ. The regressions were highly significant and the best models adjusted for population and yield were quadratic. Some hybrids were more responsive to the increase population and also to MZ. Such behavior may be considered as a support to the management of hybrids and plants populations into MZ. Therefore it is extremely relevant to consider the interaction of hybrids, populations and environments into a single field. The management zones influence the maximum attainable yield and the optimum population can vary between zones to reach the maximum grain yield. However it is expected a certain degree of variability in the factors used to determine zones to make feasible the management of corn plant population. In favorable years when rain is not a limiting factor, crop yield can be improved using population plants above the usual recommendation in both management zones (HMZ and LMZ). Another important aspect is related to the performance of the planters that may affect negatively the quality of seed distribution (mainly in high populations) preventing higher yields. In this preliminary phase of the study (one of three years scheduled), results pointed influence of population towards MZ, although caution is required to make inference about optimal plant population to manage zones. It is also important to point out that risks related to the increase in plants population can drastically impair the production. We expect to obtain more experimental results until early 2014.