Breeding maize (Zea mays L.) for stable production and adaptability poses a significant challenge because of the vital role of genotype and environment interactions. The presented study aimed to elucidate the maize hybrids’ response, estimating the genetic parameters and trait associations, to identify the stable hybrids under optimum and suboptimum conditions. The conducted experiment used an augmented randomized complete block design, where check varieties had three replications across three blocks. The combined analysis of variance revealed that genotype-by-environment interactions significantly affected the grain yield and most of the traits. The average grain yield under the suboptimum environment was lower than the optimum environment. Genetic variability belonged to the high category, whereas the heritability was in the range of moderate to high for most traits. Grain yield appeared notably correlated with plant and ear height, stay green, kernels per row, and anthesis-silking interval. The maize hybrids G02, G06, G07, G08, G09, and G10 emerged as stable based on stability statistics, while hybrids G06, G08, G09, and G10 were also considered stable based on the GGE analysis. The identified genetic variability, trait association, and stable maize hybrids could be beneficial in future maize breeding programs for further improvement in grain yield.
Maize (Z. mays L.), optimum and suboptimum abiotic conditions, G × E interactions, hybrids’ response, genetic variability, traits association, yield-related traits
Information on genotype by environment interaction effects, heritability, and trait association may be useful for selecting promising maize (Z. mays L.) hybrids. Six maize hybrids were identified as stable hybrids based on parametric and non-parametric stability.