Abstract

An investigation was made to test the adaptability of nine high yielding sunflower heterotic hybrids along with three check hybrids for seed yield per plant, oil content and oil yield per plant over three environments viz., rabi, 2005 - 2006(E1), kharif' 2006 (E2) and rabi / summer, 2006 - 2007 (E3). Genotype x environment interaction was significant for seed yield and oil yield indicating different genotypes responded differently to changing environments. The environmental indices revealed that kharif, 2006 (E2 environment) was found to be favorable environment for expression of characters viz., seed yield, oil content and oil yield. Considering the stability parameter, all hybrids and checks recorded non-significant squared deviation from regression. Among the superior oil yielding hybrids, CSFH 6045 and CSFH 6039 recorded unity regression coefficient and had average responsiveness to environment . The hybrids CSFH 6008 and CSFH 6009 and check hybrids KBSH 44, TCSH 1 and Sunbred 275 recorded above unity regression coefficient and were above average responsive hybrids. The study on phenotypic stability parameters viz., mean, regression co-efficient and deviation from regression indicated that the hybrids viz., CSFH 6008, CSFH 6037, CSFH 6039, CSFH 6045 and CSFH 6058 were stable over environments for seed yield and oil yield. Among these hybrids, CSFH 6045 was found superior.

Keywords: Sunflower, hybrids, G x E interaction, seed yield, oil yield