Abstract
Genotype × environment interaction (GEI) is an important aspect of both plant breeding and the successful introduction of new cultivars. In the present study, additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI) and genotype (G) main effects and genotype (G) × environment (E) interaction (GGE) biplot analyses were used to identify stable genotypes and to dissect GEI in Plantago. In total, 10 managed field trials were considered as environments to analyze GEI in thirty genotypes belonging to eight Plantago species. Genotypes were evaluated in a drought stress treatment and in normal irrigation conditions at two locations in Shiraz (Bajgah) for three years (2013-2014- 2015) and Kooshkak (Marvdasht, Fars, Iran) for two years (2014–2015). Three traits, seed yield and mucilage yield and content, were measured at each experimental site and in natural Plantago habitats. AMMI2 biplot analyses identified genotypes from several species with higher stability for seed yield and other genotypes with stable mucilage content and yield. P. lanceolata (G26), P. officinalis (G10), P. ovata (G14), P. ampleexcaulis (G11) and P. major (G4) had higher stability for seed yield. For mucilage yield, G21, G18 and G20 (P. psyllium), G1, G2 and G4 (P. major), G9 and G10 (P. officinalis) and P. lanceolata were identified as stable. G13 (P. ovata), G5 and G6 (P. major) and G30 (P. lagopus) had higher stability for mucilage content. No one genotype was found to have high levels of stability for more than one trait but some species had more than one genotype exhibiting stable trait performance. Based on trait variation, GGE biplot analysis identified two representative environments, one for seed yield and one for mucilage yield and content, with good discriminating ability. The identification of stable genotypes and representative environments should assist the breeding of new Plantago cultivars.
Highlights
Medicinal plants with utilization of a very small cultivation area comprise a huge number of plant species [1, 2]
Mean seed yield was highly affected by genotype variation and environmental conditions, while mucilage as a secondary metabolite was mostly affected by the effect of genotype
AMMI stability analysis showed that environments divided into normal and drought conditions for mean seed yield
Summary
Medicinal plants with utilization of a very small cultivation area comprise a huge number of plant species [1, 2]. Genotype × environment interactions in Plantago growing [3, 4] This is due to high costs of developing pharmacological products, increasing human interest in natural and organic products, reported side effects of synthetic materials, perceived environmental pollution by the pharmaceutical industry and the difficulties associated with the discovery of new natural medicines [1, 5,6,7,8,9,10]. Consumption of herbal medicines is widespread and increasing, domestication and breeding medicinal plants receives little attention. Cultivation under diverse environmental conditions opens up the possibility of using breeding programs to solve problems that are inherent in the production of medicinal plants
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