Evaluation of New Maize Genotypes for Seed Yield Potential and Stability

The yield analysis of new maize hybrids at multiple locations could provide information on the their stability. The aims of the study were to identify the effect of genotype, environment, year and their interactions on yields of some new Romanian maize hybrids and to compare maize hybrids that have high and stable yields in diverse environments in Romania based on three method: parameters of regression, drought susceptybility index and coefficient of variation. We evaluated the stability of 17 maize hybrid in six different location from Romania. Maize hybrids with high yield potential and early maturity traits derived from a diallel cross were carried out in a randomized complete block design as a single factor with three replicates. The effects of environment, genotype, year and its interaction on yield were highly significant (P<0.01). Eight hybrids (Oituz, HSF 1191-14, HSF 3425-16, HSF 1034-17, HSF 1033-17, HSF 4075-17, HSF 3877-17 and HSF 7395-18) had yields that were higher than the average yield of all genotypes in all environments and were considered stable on the basis of two stability parameters, i.e., parameters of regression and coefficient of variation. Three of these hybrids are considered unstable on basis on drought susceptybility index. Thus, these three hybrids (Oituz, HSF 3877-17 and HSF 1033-17) could be targeted for these specific locations with low water stress. The drought susceptybility index highlight the maize hybrid HSF 1191-14 as the promising for high yield and instead presented the best drought tolerance in all years.