Evaluation of the Performance of Some White Seeded Sesame (Sesamum Indicum L.) Genotypes Using GGE Biplot in Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Sesame known as queen of oil seed crops is mainly grown for its oil of local consumption, sources of income and great contribution for the national economy of Ethiopia. However, the productivity and production is low due to environments, genotypes, Interaction and management variation. Four sesame genotypes were evaluated for their interactions with environments and seed yield stability analysis at three environments during the 2015 main cropping season. The objectives of the study were to estimate the magnitude and nature of GEI and to identify stable and/or high yielding white seeded sesame genotypes in Abergelle Agricultural Research Center mandate areas, Northern Ethiopia.  The study was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications at each environment. The combined analysis of variance revealed highly significant (P≤ 0.01) environment (E), genotype (G) and genotype × environment interaction (GEI). Environment explained 79.84% of the total (G + E +GE) variation, whereas G and GE explained 17.21% and 2.95% of the total variation, respectively. The magnitude of the environment was 4.6 times greater than the genotype, implying that most of the variation in seed yield was due to the environment. The significant genotype by environment interaction effects were further partitioned in to two significant interaction principal components by using the genotype main effect plus genotype x environment interaction (GGE) biplots model. The first two principal components for mean yield and stability of the GEI explained 96.81% with PC1 = 90.88 and PC2 = 5.93 of the GGE sum of squares, respectively, while 3.19% was attributed to noise. Thus, model diagnosis (fitting) showed that the first two PCs were significant and can be taken to interpret this data. The which-won-where biplot identified one winning genotype in one mega environment. The winning genotype across locations was Humera-1. Thus, the GGE (genotype and genotype by environment interaction) biplot analysis indicating that Humera-1 was considered as the most desirable and stable one’s, therefore can be recommended for wider cultivation due to better seed yield and stability performance across the test environments in the dry lowland areas of Southeast and Central zones of Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia.

Keywords: Dry lowland, GEI, GGE biplot, Mega environment, Sesamum Indicum L.