Yield stability indices of primocane-fruiting red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.)

Three primocane-fruiting cultivars were grown over 14 location/years (environments) to assess their relative yield stability using three different statistical models. The models varied in their definition of stability and sometimes produced conflicting results. In general, ranking of the three cultivars from most to least stable was Heritage, Redwing and Autumn Bliss. Although Redwing and Autumn Bliss had better productivity than Heritage, both cultivars had a large portion of genotype x environment variance attributed to unpredictable elements according to some stability analyses. This variation was characterized by large and significant deviations from linearity. No single model adequately characterized stability in these cultivars. The three cultivars varied in productivity across the 14 environments, with Heritage always yielding less than the two other cultivars.