Evaluation of early maturing promiscuous soybean varieties in the irrigated and the rain-fed areas of Sudan

Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is relatively a new crop in Sudan. Limited number of improved varieties for commercial use requires the development of early maturing and high-yielding soybean varieties suiting the diverse agro-climatic zones of the country. Eight promising soybean varieties introduced from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) were evaluated at eight irrigated and rain fed environments at Wad Medani, Kenana, and Damazin from 2014 to 2016. The improved late maturing varieties Sudan1 and Sudan2 were used as checks. Trials were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The highest grain yields were obtained for the checks Sudan1 (2400 kg ha−1) and Sudan2 (2330 kg ha−1); followed by the introduced varieties TGx 1972-11F (2160 kg ha−1) and TGx 1977-2F (2040 kg ha−1). However, TGx 1987-10F and TGx 1972-11F were earlier than the checks, at least 2-week differences in the 50% flowering and days to maturity. Comparing these two varieties with the checks, TGx 1972-11F and TGx 1977-2F had 1.00 and 0.99, 95% confidence interval, indicating that these two varieties had a good yield stability over environments. Grain yield was also positively correlated with fodder yield, plant height, pods plant−1, and harvest index. The high average grain yields and yield stability of TGx 1972-11F across environments, coupled with its early maturity and good grain quality, makes the TGx 1972-11F an excellent choice to be released for commercial use. This prompted the National Variety Release Committee of the country to release it under the name of “Soya4.”