Analysis of Genotype × Environment Interaction for Grain Yield in Early and Late Sowing Date on Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) Genotypes

Studying genotype × environment interactions and identifying the morphological traits contribution to the interaction are among the important tasks in crop breeding programs. The present investigation aims to analyze grain yield genotype × environment interaction and partitioning it into genotype × year and genotype × sowing date of 15 durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) genotypes. Trials were conducted during three consecutive cropping seasons, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15 and at two seeding dates (early vs late). The results indicate that genotype × year interaction was more significant than that of genotype x sowing date. Correlations of IPCA1 genotypic scores with several morphological plant traits indicated that 1000-kernel weight, number of spikes/m² and spikes weight/m² contributed significantly to grain yield interaction. Bousselam and Massara genotypes exhibited a general adaptation, with a grain yield mean above the overall average. Furthermore, the results suggested that the number of the testing years should be greater than the number of the seeding dates per year in studying genotype × environment interaction. Selection of stress tolerant genotypes should be based on 1000-kernel weight, number of spikes and spikes weight/m² to minimize grain yield interaction.