Research Information System
SILVAE GENETICA, vol.52, no.3-4, pp.133-139, 2003 (SCI-Expanded)
Rooted cuttings of 40 different clones (genotypes) of Picea abies L. Karst were planted on 7 contrasting test sites (environments) in northern Germany. Various concepts on stability and genotype x environment interactions (GxE) have been discussed using height data at age 17 years. Several parametric and rank-based measures concerning GxE and stability were estimated; and the relationships among them along with the total height were determined. In addition, 5 different rank-based measures that combine both stability and performance of genotypes simultaneously have also been estimated. Although ANOVA tests showed significant GxE, rank-based nonparametric tests using S-(m) statistics showed no significant differences among the clones in their interactive behavior. Overall evaluation of various stability-related parameters indicate that significant GxE interaction detected by F tests is quite small in proportion (1.92%), clones contributed 7% and sites 50% within the total variance. The observed clonal contributions to interaction sum of squares are attributable mostly to changes in environmental conditions associated with site factors. In further selection and breeding with the clonal material at hand, GxE interaction appears to be of minor importance in Norway spruce, as it is also supported by the non-significance of rank-based tests. Any one of the 5 indices that combine stability and performance appears to be a better indicator than any other single stability-related parameter in detecting genotypes with both high stability and high performance.