Grain yield stability of black soybean lines across three agroecosystems in West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract Black soybean (Glycine soja (L.) Merril) is one of the potential agricultural commodities in Indonesia. The multilocation trial is the primary requirement for variety release before farmers can widely use the new varieties. Various stability measurements on grain yields will provide more accurate information in selecting superior lines. The aims of the study were to: (i) identify the effect of genotype by environment interactions (G×E) on black soybean grain yields; (ii) select the black soybean lines with stable and high grain yields in different agroecosystems; and (iii) determine the best representative environment for testing black soybean lines. The field trials used an augmented design that was applied in three blocks for each location. The research was conducted in West Java, Indonesia, specifically in Sumedang, Indramayu, and Majalengka. The three locations are traditionally soybean production areas in West Java. The results showed that G×E significantly affected grain yields, with a contribution of 38.35%. Based on the results of stability testing using parametric, non-parametric, and genotype plus genotype by environments (GGE) biplot measurements, the G13, G22, G25, and G26 lines were considered the most stable and produced the highest yields in the three agroecosystems. In addition, Sumedang is the most representative location for testing black soybeans in Indonesia. Therefore, the four lines can be proposed as new superior lines for black soybeans with high yields and stability in three environments. Information about the relationship between the yield stability parameters can be used for the most accessible parameter selection.