Genetic, environmental and genotype x environment interaction effects on the common bean grain yield and commercial quality

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of environmental and genotype x environment (GxE) interaction on the commercial quality and grain yield of common bean for the identification of new cultivars for the South Central and Central regions of Brazil, that combine high adaptability/stability for grain yield, sieve yield (SY) and 100-seed weight (100M). Sixty-two trials were performed in a randomised block design with three replicates in different sowing seasons in the South Central (Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Santa Catarina (SC), Paraná (PR), São Paulo (SP) and Mato Grosso do Sul (MS)) and Central (Goiás (GO) and Distrito Federal (DF)) regions in 2009 and 2010. In the trials, 16 “carioca”-seeded lines were evaluated, and grain yield, SY and 100M were collected. The data were then subjected to individual and joint analyses of variance and to adaptability and stability analyses using the Annichiarico method. Genetic variation was found between the lines for all three traits. Coefficient of determination estimates showed that the genotype effect was more important for commercial quality than for grain yield and that the environmental effect was equally important for all three traits, indicating that the highest possible number of environments should be tested. The highest-yielding lines in the Brazilian Central (CNFC 11954 and CNFC 11959) and South Central (CNFC 11948) regions were different, indicating the importance of GxE interactions for yield. However, the two best lines in the Central Region had low commercial grain quality. Thus, CNFC 11948 will be recommended as the new cultivar selected for broad adaptation because it combines high commercial quality with increased mean grain yield and stability in the South Central Region and better yield and stability than the main controls in the Central Region.