Evaluation of Genotype x Environment Interactions in Chinese Spring Wheat by the AMMI Model, Correlation and Path Analysis

An understanding of the characteristics of crop varieties and advanced lines could help improve their cultivation and to further enhance their potential. The objectives of this study were to estimate the genotype (G), environment (E) and genotype x environment (GE) interactions on the grain yield of Chinese spring wheat genotypes in 2000 and 2001 by the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model, and to evaluate the relationships between yield and its components by correlation and path analysis. Grain yield varied from 3.9 to 5.2 t ha -1 , among which SW8188 had the highest yield performance, followed by 58769-6 and Chuannong 16. Three interaction principal components (IPC) accounted for a total of 79.99 % and 72.96 % of the interactions with 41.05 % and 52.08 % for the corresponding degrees of freedom in 2000 and 2001, respectively. When IPC3 was significant, the stability coefficient D i was more useful in the evaluation of the stability of each genotype. The estimates of D i in the 2 years indicated that the D i values varied between genotypes and years. The D i values ranged from 1.804 to 14.665 and 2.497 to 12.481 in 2000 and 2001 respectively. The suitable locations (environments) for all genotypes were characterized. These results would be useful for improving the Chinese spring wheat cultivation and improvement.