Performance of Genotype by Environmental Interaction and Stability of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Genotypes in Vertisol Areas of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Faba beans are leguminous plants that have gained recognition for their significant contributions to sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation. The experiment was conducted to assess the effect of genotype × environment interaction (GEI) on seed weight stability of faba bean genotypes using 12 genotypes in randomized complete block design with three replications tested at Enewari, Bichena, and Jamma in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The objective of the study is to determine the performance and stability of faba bean genotypes for large seed sizes and comparable seed yield under vertisol areas. The AMMI analyses revealed significant (p  < 0.01) differences between genotype and environmental effects as well as genotype‐by‐environment interaction concerning seed yield and seed weight. This indicates the genotypes differently responded to the changes in the test environment or the test environment differentially discriminated the genotypes or both. The analysis of variance for AMMI showed that environment, genotype, and GEI contributed 37%, 26.7%, and 30.4% for seed weight, respectively. The principal components (IPCA 1) and (IPCA 2) explained 54.46% and 20.5% of the interaction, respectively. G4 was identified for their best seed weight with an advantage of 19.9% and 28.1% over the best standard check Hachalu and Dide’a with comparable seed yield. Based on AMMI and ASV stability parameters among the evaluated faba bean genotypes, G4 (EH01078‐4‐3) was the most stable and widely adapted over the studied environments in terms of seed weight and relatively stable and comparable seed yield. Therefore, the identified genotypes G4 (Shewa) were released as new varieties for vertisol areas of the Amhara region and areas with similar agroecology in the country.