GENOTYPE x ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION OF SOME TRAITS IN SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) LINES.

The evaluation of genotype x environment interaction (GxE) is an important component of the selection process in multi-environment trials. The objective of this study was to analyze the GxE interaction for seed yield (SY), germination rate (GR), thousand seed weight (TSW) and protein content (PC) of 18 sunflower parental lines through the application of AMMI analysis, as well as to identify suitable sunflower parental lines with both high performance and high stability. Highly significant differences for SY, GR, TSW and PC were found for main effects (genotypes, years). For all investigated traits GxE interaction was also highly significant, suggesting a different response of genotypes across testing environments. Highest SY was shown by genotypes G12, G14 and G17. Most stable lines for seed yield were G1, G2, G18 and G17. High stability in terms of GR showed the genotypes G3, G11 and G15, with average values higher than the general average. In the three-year experiment environment E3 was most stable for GR. Genotypes G2, G4, G5, G6 and G7 were stable for TSW. Similar average values and stability for TSW showed E2 and E3. The lines with the most stable reaction in the examined environmental conditions for PC were G7 and G10. The most stable environment for PC was E3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]