Stability analysis for yield and its contributing traits in Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss] under variable environments

Abstract

Stability analysis was carried out with fourteen elite genotypes of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss], including four checks, viz., NRCHB 506, Kranti (National check), and GM 3, GDM 4 (State checks), over five different environments (Sardarkrushinagar, Junagadh, Amreli, Vijapur, and Derol) of Gujarat to identify phenotypically stable genotypes that could perform more or less uniformly under different environmental conditions for various economic traits. Analysis of variance revealed that the genotypes exhibited significant genetic variability for all the traits except days to maturity, seeds per siliqua, and seed yield per plot. Genotype × Environment interaction was observed to be significant for all the characters. The Environment (linear) interaction component was also significant for all the traits studied, while the linear component of Environment interaction was significant for length of siliqua and number of siliquae per plant. The variance due to pooled deviation (non-linear) was highly significant for all the traits except number of siliquae per plant, which reflected considerable genetic diversity in the material. In the present investigation, genotypes SKM 1219 and SKM 1428 were stable for days to flowering as well as maturity. Genotypes SKM 1414, SKM 1404, and SKM 1219 for length of siliqua; Kranti, SKM 1413, and SKM 1219 for seeds per siliqua; and SKM 1428 for test weight were found to be stable under varying environmental conditions.