Abstract
Poplar is a commercially globalized tree species that provides energy and economic and ecological support. To evaluate the twelve hybrid Populus euramericana genotypes developed in China, a total of six locations were selected for the current study, comprising four climatic types and three kinds of soil. The objective of this study was to characterize the early stages of Populus euramericana growth and to test the locations; to identify good genotypes for stable and high yield; and to offer practical experience and technical assistance for further breeding of Populus euramericana. The main research methods included the statistical description of tree heights and diameter at breast height (DBH), the establishment of a mixed effect model to analyze the genotype and environmental interaction effect (G × E), the use of best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) values as GGE biplots to achieve visual screening, and the calculation of genetic parameters. Results show that the genotype effect (G), the environmental effect (E), and the G × E interaction is significant; the BLUP value has a strong correspondence with the observed value; the goodness of fit of all biplots can explain more than 85% of the variation; the broad-sense heritability of tree height and DBH is 0.13 and 0.3, respectively; and the type-B correlation is 0.36 and 0.65. In addition, G5, G7, G4, and G9 are excellent genotypes with high yield and stability; using the tree height and DBH of these four genotypes can achieve genetic gains of 3.35% and 0.81%. The conclusions of this study are as follows: the rank-change and scale-effect interactions were distinct; G, E, and G × E all had a significant effect on the growth of poplar trees during their early stage; G4, G5, G7, and G9 genotypes have favorable development characteristics; and N146 is an excellent source of paternal genetics.
Highlights
Forests are necessary for all lifeforms to thrive
The BLUPGGE technique was used in this work to examine multi-environment tests (MET) data from Populus euramericana, to assess G, E, and G × E, and to select good genotypes
The G × E interaction had a significant effect on the expression of tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH) during the early growth stage of the Populus euramericana population
Summary
Forests are necessary for all lifeforms to thrive They are essential for humans because they provide fresh air, nutrition, a habitat, energy, and a source of income for people who rely on them. Breeders and geneticists have long been interested in studying and integrating G and G × E in order to identify superior genotypes in crop production performance tests [12]. The GGE biplot may be used to analyze vast environments and potential genotypes. It is an effective tool for intuitive analysis of genotype performance, test environment representativeness, and identification ability [13,14,15]. The GGE biplot is rarely employed in tree breeding in China, despite its enormous potential [17]. The BLUPGGE technique was used in this work to examine MET data from Populus euramericana, to assess G, E, and G × E, and to select good genotypes
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