Evaluation of multi-environment grain yield trials in maize hybrids by GGE-Biplot analysis method

Experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 at locations from Sakarya, Adana, Sazak, Ceyhan, Yuregir, Bursa, Antalya, Samsun, and Izmir. PR31G98, PR31A34, Kalumet, P 3167, Adasa16, 72MAY99, PAN34015, P1429, ZP873, MAS71B, MAS78T, Sagunto, SY Hydro, PL 772, LG30600, P1758, P2088, Kebeos and Kamperos hybrid dent corn cultivars were used as plant material. Experiments were conducted in a randomized block design with four replications. The primary objective of the study was to determine the stability of 19 hybrid dent corn cultivars in 16 environments with the aid of GGE-Biplot analysis. According to variance analysis concerning grain yield data, genotype x environment interaction was found to be significant. Considering the total variation in grain yields, the environment represented 82.32% of total variation. Genotype and genotype x environment interaction constituted 9.33% and 8.36% in total variation, respectively. GGE-biplot analysis explained 65.91 % of the total variation. Experimental environments were distributed over four mega-environments. E8 with a close position to average environment coordinate (AEC) and high vector length was identified as the environment with the largest capability of representing the different environments and largest genotype separation power. Despite the high grain yield scores of G8, G17 and G18 genotypes, G8 with a close position to AEC was identified as the most stable genotype.