Genotype by Environment Interaction and Grain Yield Stability of Food Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Genotypes in East Shewa

This study, conducted at the Adami Tulu Agricultural Research Center (ATARC) in Lume and Dugda Districts during the 2021 and 2022 cropping seasons, aimed to identify stable, high-yielding food barley genotypes suitable for the East Shewa Zone and similar agro-ecologies. Fourteen genotypes were evaluated across six environments using the AMMI and GGE-Biplot models. Data on yield and related factors were collected and analyzed, showing significant effects of genotype, environment, and their interaction on food barley performance. The AMMI model showed that the environment contributed 54.55%, GXE 16.15%, and genotype 9.08% to total variation. The higher influence of the environment suggests its crucial role in determining food barley yields. The first two IPCAs, IPCA-I (44.6%) and IPCA-II (27.7%), were the most accurate models predicting genotype stability within GEI. Genotypes G-5 and G-6 were the most stable and high-yielding across test sites, making them potential release candidates. These findings have significant implications for improving food security in drought-prone regions by providing stable barley varieties for diverse agro-ecologies.