Multi Environmental Evaluation of Vegetable Soybean for Adaptation and Stability in Benin

Abstract

Edamame, vegetable soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), is a nutrition crop that is gaining interest in Africa. Its nutritional attributes make it a crop of choice to formulate diets with numerous human health benefits. Prior to its introduction in Benin, this study evaluated selected edamame varieties for agronomic performances and assessed stability for fresh pod yield across major vegetable growing sites. Thirty-five edamame varieties were planted at three locations for two seasons. Experiments were laid in Alpha lattice design with three replicates. Agronomic and yield data were collected and AMMI and GGE analyses were performed to assess genotype by environment effects and yield stability among varieties. The study showed significant variation among genotypes for most quantitative traits and highly significant environmental and genotype by environment effects were observed on fresh pod yield (p < 0.001). Genotype Maksoy 3N (15.9 t/ha) had the highest fresh pod yield and genotype AGS466 was the most stable across environments. Based on GGE, S1079-6-7 was the ideal genotype for fresh pod yield, followed by AGS466 and ASHOROWASE. Seme-2 proved the ideal environment for growing edamame in Benin. The study confirmed that vegetable soybean is well adapted to be grown in Benin and can recommend edamame varieties AGS466, AGS346 and ASHOROWASE for wide cultivation across vegetable growing sites in Benin. Also the study found the grain type soybean varieties S1079-6-7 and Maksoy 3N well suited to produce edamame and recommend that these varieties and other grain soybean varieties be tested further both for agronomic and sensory suitability.