Stability Analysis of Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids for Grain Yield and Its Attributing Traits Using Eberhart and Russel Model

A genotype is considered to be most adaptive / stable, when it registers high mean yield but show a minimum interaction with the environment. Knowledge of genotype × environment interaction and yield stability are important parameters in breeding new cultivars with improved adaptation to environmental constraints prevailing in the target environments. Therefore, an effort was made to know the genotype - environment interaction and to identify stable single cross hybrids across the environments. Eight newly synthesized single cross maize hybrids and 7 checks were evaluated in a Randomized Block Design with three replications during Rabi-2016 across three locations spread over different agro-climatic zones of Karnataka state, India. Different stability parameters as suggested by Eberhart and Russell [1] were estimated. Joint analysis of variance revealed significant differences among environments, hybrids and environments × hybrids interactions advocating the adequacy of stability analysis. Hybrids, viz., MAI 349×MAI 283, KDMI 16×BGUDI 118 were stable for days to anthesis and silking, respectively. Whereas, hybrids viz., KDMI 16×BGUDI 118, BGUDI 120×VL 109252 and MAI 283× KDMI 16 registered mean values lower than the overall mean with bi value nearer to unity and non significant S2di for anthesis silking interval. Hybrid, MAI 349×MAI 283 for plant height and cob length, KDMI 16×MAI 283 for cob length, number of kernel rows-1 and 100 grain weight, BGUDI 88×MAI 349 for cob diameter, MAI 394×BGUDI 88 for shelling % and KDMI 16×BGUDI 118 for grain yield plant-1 registered stable performance across the environments. Based on the positive and negative environmental indices, production environment at location 1 (K Block UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru), was most favorable for expression of majority of characters studied. Hybrid KDMI 16×MAI 283 was found stable across the environments for most of the characters studied.