Genotypic stability analysis of some flax genotypes under different environmental conditions

Abstract

Twelve flax genotypes were evaluated across four locations (Ismailia, Kafr El- Sheikh, El-Beheira, and Eshrkaya) Governorates in two successive seasons 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among genotypes, environments and genotype x environment interactions were recorded for all traits under studied, indicated that genotypes response to different environmental conditions and found a wide range of variation among the environments studied. Mean squares due to years x locations were highly significant for all studied traits, suggested that it may be necessary to increase number of test years and locations in the evaluation of flax genotypes. All studied traits showed high heritability values and low discrepancy between phenotypic (PCV) and genotypic (GCV) coefficients of variability, exhibited the importance of selection for plant height and technical stem length to improve flax straw yield per plant and selection for number of capsules per plant and 1000-seeds weight to improve flax seed yield/plant. Therefore, three strains i.e. S. 620/3/5, S.402/1 and S. 894/13/4/3 exhibited superiority and stability (Ysi) for all traits under study except straw yield per hectare, seed yield per plant and 1000-seeds weight for strain 402/1 and plant height, technical stem length, number of seeds per capsule and straw yield per hectare for 894/13/4. Correlation coefficient values among nine traits studied showed that straw yield per plant exhibited significant positive correlation with plant height and number of capsules per plant and the plant height was significant and positive correlated with technical length, thus selection for plant height and technical length maximized straw yield per plant. Seed yield per hectare was significant and positive correlated with seed yield per plant and 1000- seeds weight.