ADAPTABILITY AND STABILITY OF MAIZE HYBRIDS IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Abstract

During the agricultural year of 1999/2000 , forty-one maize hybrids wereevaluated in twenty-five different environmental conditions in Northeastern Brazil in order toknow their adaptability and the stability of grain yield for planting recommendations. The experimentaldesign was randomized blocks with three replications in each location. The combinedanalysis of variance showed strong differences among the hybrids within each environment, aswell as genetic differences among the hybrids due to environmental variations. The mean grainyield of the hybrids (6.971 kg ha-1) reveals that the region shows favorable environmentalconditions for planting those genetic materials especially in the cerrado areas of Western Bahia,Southern Maranhão and in the Uruçuí – Gurgéia region (Piauí State), where the climate, soiland topography facilitate the use of modern technologies for the production of grains in dryland areas. Most of the hybrids showed high production stability in the considered environments.

Keywords

• Zea mays
• genotype x environment interaction
• Brazilian Northeast
• grain yield