Using Huehn’s Nonparametric Stability Statistics to Investigate Genotype × Environment Interaction

Genotype × environment interaction (GEI) is of special interest in breeding programs to identify adaptation targets and test locations as well as to determine the most favorable genotypes. There are several nonparametric procedures used to interpret the GEI in multi-environmental trials. The purposes of this investigation were (i) to compare the effect of correction on Huehn’s nonparametric stability statistics and (ii) to use nonparametric statistics for a GEI study on lentil. Nine improved lentil genotypes and one local cultivar were grown in 5 sites during two consecutive years. Results of the nonparametric analysis demonstrated both additive and crossover GEIs. According to uncorrected nonparametric statistics, genotypes G8 and G9 were the most stable and based on corrected nonparametric statistics of Huehn, genotypes G1, G2 and G10 were the most stable. In this investigation, mean of ranks (MR) and coefficient of variation of ranks (CV) with (6)iSwere associated with high mean yield (within the dynamic concept of stability), but the other nonparametric statistics were not positively correlated with mean yield and were identified within a static concept of stability. Results also indicated that corrected nonparametric statistics were not suitable for simultaneous selection of mean yield and stability. Such an outcome could be used to delineate predictive, more rigorous recommendation strategies as well as to help define stability concepts to identify recommendations for lentil and other crops