STABILITY OF PERFORMANCE OF TETRAPLOID WHEAT LANDRACES IN THE ETHIOPIAN HIGHLAND

Plant breeding has always been concerned with genotype-environment int eraction. Normally high and stable performance are desirable attribute s of cultivars. However, this is practically difficult to achieve wher e environmental variations are high and unpredictable and significant genotype-environment interactions occur. Stability of performance of 1 3 landraces evaluated at 4 different locations for 3 years in the high lands of Ethiopia was investigated. The testing locations have differe nt climatic and edaphic conditions providing the conditions necessary for the assessment of stability. Stability parameters like b, s(2)d, s (2), r(2) and cv which are in common use were employed. Grain yield an d 1000-kernel weight were the agronomic traits considered for the stab ility analysis. There were differences in the ranks of genotypes acros s the locations. Significant main environmental as well as interaction effects were observed showing the importance of genotype-environment interaction in both traits. Many of the landraces evaluated are rated as stable for these traits within the environmental conditions prevail ing in these highland locations. Genotypes with specific adaptation to poor and favourable conditions were also identified. Certain genotype s showed similar manners of adaptation and stability for both of the t raits. Grain yield showed low correlations with the stability paramete rs showing the possibility of attaining high yield and stability. Corr elations between the stability parameters were mainly positive and sig nificant for grain yield. Only a few of these correlations were found to be significant for kernel weight. The good adaptability of landrace s should be exploited in the improvement of their yield potential.