Yield stability of contemporary Bulgarian winter wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) in Dobrudzha.

One of the main tasks of the contemporary breeding programs is developing of varieties characterized with high production potential and stability of grain yield under different growing environments. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the yield stability of contemporary bread wheat cultivars grown in five successive years of contrasting meteorological conditions. The trial was carried out at DAI during 2007- 2011. The focus of investigation was on the grain yield from common winter wheat. The analysis of variances (ANOVA) undoubtedly revealed the significant interaction of the genotype with the environment The parameters of stability were calculated and the final evaluation of each cultivar included its grain yield according to the method of Kang (1998). Cultivars Zlatitsa and Korona realized the highest production potential during the investigated period. Relatively highest grain yield stability was demonstrated by cultivars Slaveya, Zlatitsa, Iveta, Aglika, Bolyarka and Dragana. Cultivars with high quality genetic potential such as Iveta, Lazarka and Aglika possessed excellent combination of high and stable grain yield significantly higher than the standard cultivar Pryaspa which belongs to third group of grain quality [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]