Genotype by environment and genotype by yield*trait interactions in sugar beet: Analyzing yield stability and determining key traits association

Abstract

Abstract The GEI significantly influences plant yield, making it imperative to understand its nature for the creation of breeding programs to enhance crop production. However, this is not the only obstacle in the yield improvement process. Breeders also face the significant challenge of unfavorable and negative correlations among key traits. In this study, the stability of RY and WSY, and the association between the key traits of RY, SC, N, Na+, and K+ were examined in 20 sugar beet genotypes. The study was conducted using a randomized complete block design with four replications over two consecutive years across five locations. The combined analysis of variance results revealed significant main effects of year, location, and genotype on both RY and WSY. Notably, two-way and three-way interactions between these main effects on RY and WSY resulted in a significant difference. The AMMI method was used to analyze the GEI. The analysis revealed that the first five IPCs significantly impacted both the RY and WSY. The LMM results for RY and WSY indicated that the genotype effect and the GEI were significant. The WAASB biplot demonstrated that genotypes 20, 4, 7, 2, 16, 3, 6, 1, 14, and 15 were superior in terms of RY. For WSY, genotypes 4, 16, 3, 7, 5, 1, 10, 20, 2, and 6 stood out. These genotypes were not only stable but also had a yield value higher than the total average. According to the WAASBY, genotypes 16, 20, 2, and 14 exhibited high stability and RY. In terms of WSY and stability, genotypes 20, 3, 16, 4, and 10 were identified as the most suitable.