Adaptability and stability in commercial maize hybrids in the southeast of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Sirlene Viana Faria,Mateus Cupertino Rodrigues,José Eustáquio De Souza Carneiro,Rodrigo Oliveira De Lima,Luiz Silva Luz,Pedro Crescêncio Souza Carneiro

doi:10.5935/1806-6690.20170040

Sirlene Viana Faria, Mateus Cupertino Rodrigues + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5935/1806-6690.20170040

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the adaptability and stability of 29 commercial maize hybrids in the southeast of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, employing three methods. The 29 commercial maize hybrids from the 2014/2015 crop were evaluated for grain yield in five locations in the southeast of Minas Gerais. A randomised-block design was used, with two replications. Each lot comprised two rows, five meters in length, at a spacing of 0.80 m, giving an effective area of 8.00 m2. In addition to individual and combined variance analysis, the methods of Eberhart & Russell (1966), AMMI (Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction Analysis) and mixed models were used to evaluate the adaptability and stability of the 29 hybrids. There was a significant difference (P<0.01) for the effects of hybrid, environment and the hybrid x environment interaction. The majority of the hybrids under evaluation displayed broad adaptability with good stability. It was concluded that the Eberhart & Russell, AMMI and mixed-model methods show similar results in classifying maize hybrids of broad adaptability. There is a difference in indicating hybrids with specific adaptability to favourable and unfavourable environments. Based on the three methods, the hybrids SHS7920PRO, BM709PRO2, BRS1055 and BM650PRO2 show a general adaptability for the environments under evaluation.

Highlights

Maize (Zea mays L.) is grown almost all over Brazil, in a wide variety of environments, using different production systems and levels of technology (MALDANER et al, 2014)
It was concluded that the Eberhart & Russell, AMMI and mixed-model methods show similar results in classifying maize hybrids of broad adaptability
Twenty-nine commercial maize hybrids released by different seed companies were evaluated in five environments in the southeast of Minas Gerais in the 2014/2015 season (Table 1): The Experimental Station of Coimbra, in the town of Coimbra, MG (20o49’46.5” S, 42o45’51.1” W, altitude 715 m); The Diogo Alves de Mello Experimental Station, in Viçosa, MG (20o46’04” S, 42o52’10” W, altitude 662 m) (Viçosa1); The Horta Nova Experimental Station (20o45’47.6” S, 42o49’25.1” W, altitude 665 m), located in the district of São José do Triunfo, Viçosa, MG (Viçosa2); The Experimental Station of Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, in Sete Lagoas, MG (19o27’57” S, 44o14’48” W, altitude 761 m), and in São Miguel do Anta, MG (20o42’22.6” S, 42o43’09.4” W, altitude 661 m)

Summary

Introduction

Maize (Zea mays L.) is grown almost all over Brazil, in a wide variety of environments, using different production systems and levels of technology (MALDANER et al, 2014). The identification of genotypes with high production potential and with broad adaptability and stability is one of the principle target of maize breeding programs. This is why, before being released and recommended to farmers, hybrids are evaluated in many locations. Cultivars evaluated in different environments may display different behaviour due to environmental variations, which would characterise the interaction between genotype and environment (HALDANE, 1946). Studying adaptability and stability is an alternative for reducing the effects of this interaction, and makes it possible to identify cultivars which have predictable behaviour, and which are responsive to environmental improvements (CRUZ; CARNEIRO; REGAZZI, 2014)

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