Simultaneous selection of yield and yield stability in chickpea genotypes using the GGE biplot technique
GGE biplot analysis is an effective method, based on principal component analysis (PCA), to fully explore multi-environment trials (METs). It allows visual examination of the relationships among the test environments, genotypes and the genotype-by-environment interactions (G×E interaction). The objective of this study was to explore the effect of genotype (G) and the genotype × environment interaction (GEI) on the grain yield of 20 chickpea genotypes under two different rainfed and irrigated environments for 4 consecutive growing seasons (2008–2011). The yield data were analysed using the GGE biplot method. The first mega-environment contained environments E1, E3, E4 and E6, with genotype G17 (X96TH41K4) being the winner; the second mega-environment contained environments E5, E7 and E8, with genotype G12 (X96TH46) being the winner. The E2 environment made up another mega-environment, with G19 (FLIP-82-115) the winner. The mean performance and stability of the genotypes indicated that genotypes G4, G16 and G20 were highly stable with high grain yield.