Yield stability analysis is important in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) breeding to produce the highest and most stable yields. This study used parametric and nonparametric statistical methods to assess the barley genotypes’ stability. It aimed to assess the 40 barley mutants belonging to the subspecies of two-rowed and six-rowed barley obtained after mutagenic treatment with phosphemide in two concentrations. The study transpired in 2020–2022 in Russia’s South Moscow and Tyumen regions. The results revealed that environment (46.6%), genotypes (9.1%), and the interaction of environment by study location (26.2%) and genotype by environment (9.5%) contributed the most to grain yield in barley. The highest correlation appeared among the variables. i.e., Wᵢ² и σ²ᵢ, 𝜃ᵢ, S²dᵢ; 𝜃ᵢ и σ²ᵢ, S²dᵢ; NP⁽⁴⁾ и S⁽³⁾, S⁽⁶⁾; S⁽¹⁾ и S⁽²⁾; S⁽²⁾ и S⁽³⁾; KR; NP⁽²⁾ и NP⁽³⁾ (r = 0.80-1.00); 𝜃_(i) и Wᵢ², σ²ᵢ, S²dᵢ; and 𝜃ᵢ и 𝜃_(i) ( r = – 0.92-1.00). Higher correlation with grain yield emerged with b_i (r = 0.52); S⁽⁶⁾ (r = – 0.77); NP⁽²⁾ (r = – 0.78); NP⁽³⁾ (r = – 0.79); NP⁽⁴⁾ (r = – 0.78); and KR (r = – 0.65). The most stable yields characterized by six-rowed mutants are G20, G22, and G28, derived from the hooded cultivar. The mutants G1, G2, and G40, belonging to the two-rowed barley subspecies, had the highest grain yield potential with less stability.

Keywords: Two-rowed and six-rowed barley, Hordeum vulgare L., phosphemide concentrations, chemical mutagenesis, genotype by environment interaction, stability parameters, correlation, grain yield

Key findings: The article discussed the results of yield and stability analyses in two-rowed and six-rowed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) mutants of M5-M7 generations in different ecological areas using parametric and nonparametric statistical methods.