GGE biplot analysis for cane yield and sugar yield in advanced clones of sugarcane (Saccharum sp. complex)

The present investigation was taken up to study the G × E interaction and stability in 14 sugarcane clones during 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 at four different locations namely Pantnagar, Kashipur, Dhanauri (Haridwar), and Dhakrani (Dehradun) for cane yield (CY) and sugar yield (SY) at the 10-month and 12-month stages. The research aimed to identify stable, high-yielding sugarcane clones adaptable to diverse environmental conditions, enhancing productivity and profitability for farmers in Uttarakhand, India. The combined ANOVA revealed significant differences among the clones (22.20% to 29.54% variation), environments (35% to 39.62% variation), and their interactions (19.91% to 24.16% variation) for CY and SY at both stages. To analyze the stability of genotypes and G × E interactions, the GGE biplot method was employed. The first two PCs explained 77.94% for CY, 74.39% for SY at the 10-month stage, and 81.01% for SY at 12-month stage of the total variation of the GGE model. The GGE biplots revealed that for CY, the mega-environment exhibited CoPant 16222 and CoPant 16223 as the winning genotypes. For SY at the 10-month stage, CoPant 17221 and CoPant 16222 were the best clones in two different mega-environments, while at the 12-month stage, the mega-environment showed CoPant 16222 and CoPant 16223 as the winning genotypes. Dehradun (2020) and Kashipur (2020) were identified as the best test environments for selecting widely and specifically adapted genotypes, respectively, for CY and SY at the 10-month as well as 12-month stages. In a nutshell, GGE biplot analysis identified the best-performing sugarcane clones and best test environments in Uttarakhand, India. Clone CoPant 16222 showed high mean performance and stability for cane and sugar yield, making it suitable for recommendation to farmers.