META-ANALYSES OF SWEETPOTATO (IPOMOEA BATATAS L. LAM) STABILITY PERFORMANCE IN DIFFERENT AGROECOLOGIES OF THE TIGRAY REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The study aimed at evaluating the influence of environment on sweetpotato stability and identifying superior genotype(s) with high yield stability in the farmers’ field conditions. Six sweetpotato genotypes were evaluated for two years in ‘meher’ season (July- December), 2014 and 2016; four of the six genotypes were assessed for three years in the ‘meher’ season, 2012, 2014, and 2016. Planting was done in three replications in RCBD in three unique agro-ecologies: Endayesus-dry highland, Fachagama-dry lowland, Rarhe-moist lowland. Genotypes genetic merits were predicted using BLUP. The AMMI and GGE were used to test the genotypes stability. The ANOVA for AMMI model showed high significant difference (P<0.01) for genotypes, environments, seasons, and the interactions. Environment (41.67%) and the genotype main effect (35.71%) contributed largely to the cumulative variance for three years testing of four genotypes and two years testing of six genotypes, respectively. Berkume (42.44 t/ha), Tulla (33.92 t/ha) and Kulfo (33.67 t/ha) were superior for total storage root tuber yield (TTRY).Both the AMMI and GGE biplot predicted Tulla and Kulfo as ideal genotypes with dynamic stability; Berkume with static stability to Rarhe. The environment main effect had significant influence in determining how genotypes expressed their genetic potentials and stability as shown by the AMMI model and GGE biplot. The AMMI model partitioned the studied agro-ecologies of the Tigray region into two mega sweetpotato growing environments; the dry high/lowland in one environment and the moist lowland in another, completely different, but with high potentials for sweetpotato production.