Assignment of resistance stability of chickpea genotypes tested in multi-environments against ascochyta blight using GGE biplot analysis

Ascochyta blight (caused by Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Labr.) is the most crucial limiting variable for decreasing yield levels of chickpeas around the world. A set of 20 diverse chickpea genotypes comprising advanced breeding lines and released varieties was evaluated, together with susceptible controls, for resistance to ascochyta blight for three continuous years under field conditions in three distinct chickpea-growing environments in Turkey. ANOVA and GGE biplot analysis were used to determine the response of each genotype to disease. Analysis results showed that most of the variation in ascochyta blight in both winter and spring sowings (39.99% and 40.61%) is due to the year, followed by G (17.01%) and Y × G interactions (12.69%) at winter sowing, and followed by Y × G (17.48%) and Genotype (16.60%) at spring sowing, which confirmed the requirement for multi-year, and multi-location testing. The GGE biplot analysis explained 73.31% of the total variation. The GGE biplot analysis of the tested environment and genotypes revealed that the nine test environments comprised three mega environments, and the genotypes were located in six different sectoral areas. The GGE biplot visually demonstrated the resistance and stability of chickpea genotypes to ascochyta blight. Arda was the most desirable genotype with the lowest disease scale in all test environments. This was followed by genotype G12 and the Azkan cultivar, respectively. It would be useful to use these resistant genotypes as stable resistance donors in chickpea breeding programs, to develop varieties resistant to Ascochyta blight.