Genotype x environment interaction for pod yield and yield components of groundnut varieties in warm sub-humid climate and moderately acidic soil

Abstract

Groundnut is an important oilseed crop of India. In Orissa, it is grown in kharif season as rainfed crop and in rabi season either under residual moisture condition or under irrigated condition. More than 170 varieties of groundnut have been developed and released by 2009 but the farmers prefer to grow varieties like AK 12-24 and TMV 2 for both the seasons which are about 70 years old. So it is necessary to identify new variety which could perform more or less uniformly under both the seasons. In view of the better expression of certain characters under specific environmental conditions the stability analysis helps to isolate genotypes adapted to particular seasons [1]. Information about phenotypic stability is useful for selection of crop varieties as well as for breeding programmes [2-4]. The stability of yield in different groundnut genotypes are ultimately imparted through the stability of their different component characters in additive fashion.[5]. Therefore, this study was undertaken to evaluate groundnut varieties for stability of their pod yield and component characters of yield under both kharif and rabi seasons for two years.