Stability analysis and yield potential of sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) genotypes in Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) is a significant oil crop that can be cultivated in various regions worldwide. Multi‐environmental yield trials can be used to identify superior genotypes across different locations. Thus, the objectives of the study are to identify superior sunflower genotypes that are stable, highly productive, and disease‐tolerant. As a result, 16 genotypes of sunflower were assessed in seven distinct habitats using a randomized complete block design. The genotypes, environments, and genotype‐by‐environment interaction were all very significant ( p  < 0.001), according to the results of the pooled analysis of variance, indicating the existence of genetic variability among the tested sunflower genotypes across environments. The additive main effect and multiplicative interaction model and genotype and genotype by environment (GGE)‐biplots were used to estimate stability analysis. Highly significant ( p  < 0.001) differences were found between environments, genotypes, G × E interaction, and five interaction principal component analyses (IPCA). The first two interaction principal component analyses (IPCA1 and IPCA2) contributed 50.93% and 20.94% of the total genotype by environment interaction, respectively. The GGE biplot reveals that G11 and G7 sunflower genotypes had the best combiner of higher seed yield with stability compared to the other tested genotypes. As a result, these two genotypes were chosen as potential candidates for release in the tested environments and similar agroecologies.