Stable and high-yielding rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars are essential for improving productivity in marginal environments such as Papua, Indonesia. Ten rice genotypes, including elite and advanced breeding lines, underwent evaluation across two contrasting sites—Muara (favorable) and Papua (suboptimal)—to estimate genetic variability, heritability, stability, and tolerance indices. Significant genotype-by-environment interactions were evident for key agronomic traits, particularly plant height, productive tiller number, and 1000-grain weight. Moderate to high heritability (H² = 0.593–0.745) indicated a strong genetic control, with the productive tiller number showing the greatest variability (GCV = 14.68%, PCV = 23.80%). Stability analyses using the Eberhart-Russell and AMMI (additive main-effects and multiplicative interaction) models identified the genotype 12F as highly adaptable and high yielding, 1F and 54F as broadly stable, and 58F and 44F as consistently stable under stress-prone conditions. The stress tolerance index (STI) supported these findings, confirming combined yield potential and environmental resilience. Although based on two locations, this study provides valuable preliminary insights for developing rice cultivars adapted to suboptimal agroecosystems.
Adaptability, heritability, genotype stability, stress tolerance index, suboptimal agroecosystem
Significant genotype-by-environment interactions were noteworthy for primary agronomic traits, underscoring the importance of multi-environment assessment of rice (O. sativa L.). Stability analysis identified 12F as the most promising genotype, providing high yields and considerable adaptability.