AMMI Analysis of Genotype x Environment Interaction for Grain Yield in Drought-Tolerant Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.)

Abstract

Eight drought tolerant maize lines and their 28 crosses with two local hybrids were evaluated separately in 12 environments to estimate the magnitude of genotype x environment interaction (GEI) and relationships between parents and progenies in stability. An additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model was used to analyze the grain yield data. The first two IPCAs of the AMMI 2 analysis accounted for 56 % of the
GEI sum squares in trials of the hybrids. High yielding hybrids like O, P, S, Z, U, G and one of the checks (BH140) showed minimum GEI, indicating wide adaptation of these varieties over environments. In contrast, high yielding hybrids such as A, D and J adapted to unfavorable environments and K and T to favorable environments. Most of the crosses from drought tolerant parents were better than the check (BH540) in mean grain yield and stability. Although no considerable association in stability was observed between crosses and their
parents, increased stability occurred in most of the crosses due to increased stress tolerance.

Keywords: Drought Tolerance; Genotype x Environment Interaction; Yield Stability

East African Journal of Sciences Vol. 2 (1) 2008: pp. 1-6