Stability Of Grain Yield And Yield Components Of Maize Hybrids

Ten maize single cross hybrids were studied for their stability in grain yield, 1000 kernel weight, kernel depth, kernel numbers per row and rows number per ear using regression coefficient (bi), deviation from regression (S2di), stability variance (?2i), ecovalence(Wi), coefficient of determination (R2), coefficient of variation (C.V.) and simultaneous selection method for grain yield and stability (YSi) indices. The experiments were conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications at 14 locations for 2 years(1998/99). According to the results, using all stability indices, S2di, ?2i, Wi, R2, C.Y. and YSi, hybrids No. 6(KL17/2-5 x MO17) and No. 10(KSC704) were determined as stable hybrids. The highest grain yield belonged to hybrids No. 6 and ten with 10.346 and 10.362 t ha-1 respectively. The heterogeneity of regression coefficients were significant only for kernel depth and kernel rows number per ear. Grain yield showed positive and highly significant correlation with 1000 kernel weight (r=0.45**), kernel depth (r=0.40**) and kernel numbers per row (r=0.64**). According to the regression coefficients, hybrids No. 6 and No. 10 did not show good response to environmental improvement in term of kernel depth and kernel rows number per ear.