Genotype by Environment Interaction for Growth Traits of Clones of Populus Section Aigeiros Based on BLUP and GGE Biplot

【Objective】The aim of this study was to evaluate growth and stability of clones (varieties) of Populus Section Aigeiros, and discrimination and representativeness of each trial sites of the regional clonal trials based on BLUP and GGE (genotype main effect plus genotype-environmental interaction effect) biplot, and provide the theoretical basis for selection and application of the introduced clones. 【Method】DBH and height of 15 clones at 9 trial sites were measured at age of 6 years, linear mixed models (LMM) with site as fixed effect and clone, clone by site interaction as random effects were to be used for best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) analysis. Then BLUP data of DBH and height for each clone at each site were obtained to conduct GGE biplot for evaluating these introduced clones and regional trial sites. 【Result】The first two principal components (PC1 and PC2) of GGE biplot explain respectively 84.69% and 69.83% of the variance based on BLUP data of DBH and height. GGE bioplot based on BLUP data of DBH showed that the 9 trial sites were positively correlated with each other. The 9 trial sites were divided into 2 groups: Yongqing of Hebei and Jinxiang of Shandong in a group, with the largest DBH of clone 50, and the other 7 sites in another group, with the largest DBH of clone Por. Changping of Beijing and Yongqing of Hebei were the most discriminative sites, while Ningyang (Gaoqiao) of Shandong and Weixian of Hebei were the most representative sites. The clone Por had the largest DBH, followed by the clones Pa, 36, 108, 50, 111, and 107, all of which were larger than the average. The clone Og had a DBH close to the average, and the clone La showed the smallest DBH, the clones 107, Me, 108, Br, Og and 36 displayed a better stability. 【Conclusion】 GGE biplots based on BLUP data of DBH and height were different, and the GGE biplots of DBH were more reliable than that of height. The clone Por had the largest DBH followed by Pa, 36, 108, 50, 111 and 107. The clones 107, Me, 108, Br, Og and 36 showed a better stability with DBH. Comprehensively, the clones Por, Pa, 36, 108 and 107 showed both better stability and fast growth. © 2021, Editorial Department of Scientia Silvae Sinicae. All right reserved.