Abstract

Genotype x environment interaction was studied for grain yield, its components and quality traits in 21 short duration varieties and hybrids of rice under three representative locations viz., Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Jagtial, Karimnagar(Northern Telangana Zone); Rice section, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad(Southern Telangana Zone) and Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Kampasagar, (Southern Telangana Zone) of Andhra Pradesh during rabi (post rainy) season, 2009-10. Significant differences among the genotypes and environments for most of the characters suggested the presence of wide variability. Significant genotype x environment (GxE) interactions were observed for all the characters except spikelet fertility per cent and kernel length, indicating that the major portion of interaction was linear in nature, and prediction over the environments was possible. Significance of both linear and non-linear components for productive tillers per plant, filled grains per panicle, panicle density, grain yield per plant and milling per cent, indicated the importance of both the components in determining the stability of these traits and only part of variation could be predicted. Significant pooled deviations observed for days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, panicle length, panicle density, head rice recovery per cent, kernel breadth and L/B ratio suggested that the performance of genotypes is entirely unpredictable in nature. Based on stability parameters, the genotypes RNR 2465 and WGL 32183 were identified as stable genotypes recording superior yield performance under different locations, while IR 64, Krishna hamsa, JGL 11118 and KRH 2 were suitable for poor environments and four promising entries JGL 3844, RNR 2354 (varieties), DRRH 44 and PA 6444 (hybrids) were found to be more suitable for favourable environments with respect to yield performance

Keywords: Rice, Stability parameters, G x E interaction, grain yield, grain quality