Assessment of Seed Yield Stability and Genotype × Environment Interaction of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Promising Lines Using AMMI Analysis

This study was carried to assess seed yield stability and genotype × environment interaction of 15 faba bean promising lines together with four control cultivars using randomized complete block design with three replications in four experimental field stations; Gorgan (rainfed), Dezful (irrigated), Borujerd (rainfed), Iranshahr (irrigated), in two cropping seasons (2015 -17). Combined analysis of variance showed that genotypes differed significantly for days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100-seed weight and seed yield. FLIP03-069FB, ILB1266 × ILB1814 and WRB2-7 × Giza Blanca promising lines had the highest seed yield, respectively. Environment main effect accounted for 76.43% of total observed variation in seed yield, whereas genotype and genotype × environment interaction effect accounted for 6.31% and 17%, respectively. The multivariate analysis using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) showed that the six first principal components had significant effect in explaining genotype × environment interaction effect, and explained 99.69% of the total of observed variation. The AMMI stability value (ASV) discriminated WRB2-7 × Giza Blanca, ILB 3626, Barkat × BPL 465 promising lines and cv. Barkat with high seed yield stability, respectively. Barkat × New Mammoth promising line and cv. Zereshki had low seed yield stability, respectively. Also, Gorgan and Borujerd environments, due to their high interaction, were identified as the ideal environments for discriminating faba bean genotypes. In conclusion, WRB2-7 × Giza Blanca promising line with average seed yield of 3285 kg ha-1, high yield stability and wide adaptation was identified as the superior genotype for being released as new commercial faba bean cultivar for target regions.