Genotype by environment interaction and yield stability analysis of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) varieties using AMMI and GGE biplot analysis in Amahara Region, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Durum wheat is a staple crop for over one- third of the global population; however, its production in Ethiopia, particularly in the Amhara Region, faces major challenges due to limited adaptable varieties, poor management practices, and environmental constraints. Newly released wheat varieties often fail in unfamiliar environments, leading to yield losses. To address this issue, a study was conducted to evaluate the adaptability, performance, and yield stability of recently released high-performing durum wheat cultivars in the Amahara region. The field trials were conducted over two consecutive years (2022/2023 and 2023/2024) at three districts; Simada, Bichena, and Dabat, using a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Data were collected on main agronomic traits, including growth, phenological, and yield traits such as grain yield. Statistical analyses included SAS 9.4 and R software were used, showing significant differences in crop phenological stages, growth, and yield parameters across years and locations for tested traits. Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction(AMMI) and Genotype and Genotype × Environment (GGE) biplot analysis were used to study genotype by environmental interaction(GEI). Genotype, location, and year interactions significantly influenced all durum wheat genotypes. The combined analysis of variance for all tested traits including grain yield, showed highly significant effects (p < 0.001). Grain yield ranged from 4.5 t ha-1in Dabat to 2.29 t ha-1in Simada. Among the genotypes, Tesfaye had the highest mean yield (3.74 t ha-1), while Wehabit had the lowest (2.75 t ha-1). The AMMI analysis revealed that most of the variation was due to environment (45%), followed by genotype (16%) and genotype × environment interaction (16%), showing strong environmental influence on yield performance. The GGE biplot and AMMI analysis identified Tesfaye and Don metteo as stable genotypes, while Simada and Bichena as representative environments. This study identifies Tesfaye as the most productive and stable wheat variety in the study area and suggests farmers should adopt it to increase wheat yield per unit area of land.