Yield Stability of Barley Elite Genotypes in Cold Regions of Iran Using GGE biplot

To study grain yield stability and adaptability of eighteen barley genotypes comparing with two national check cultivars، an experiment was carried out in eight cold region agricultural research stations Arak، Ardebil، Hamedan، Jolgeh Rokh، Karaj، Miandoab، Mashhad، and Tabriz during two consecutive cropping seasons (2005 and 2006). The experimental trials were based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. To study genotype × environment effects، GGE biplot method was used. Based on the polygon of GGE biplot method for grouping environments، the genotype no. 16 (G16) in Arak and Hamedan، genotype no. 17 (G17) in Karaj، Miandoab and Mashhad and genotype no. 4 (G4) in Ardebil and Jolgeh Rokh had the highest yield. Based on the tester biplot results، the environments of Karaj، Mashhad and Miandoab were closer to the ideal tester environment and based on the biplot of genotypes and environments and ideal genotypes biplot overall، the promising line no. 17 (MAKOUEE//ZARJOW/80-5151) was recognized as the best genotype examined in terms of being a high yielding and stable genotype. Based on these results it can be concluded that although breeding stable and adaptable cultivars for such a vast climatic zone has its own difficulties، it is possible to seek for the genotypes with both narrow and wide adaptations through the information extracted from the multivariate stability analyses.