Stability analysis of cotton hybrids for yield and fiber quality using GGE biplot, WAASB, and MTSI approaches

Abstract Background Hybrid cotton enjoys overwhelming patronage among cotton farmers because of its superior yield capacity and fiber quality. However, various environmental factors affect its yield and fiber quality. This study aimed to assess 30 cotton hybrids for the stability of four traits (single-plant seed cotton yield, fiber upper half mean length (UHML), fiber strength, and micronaire) across three environments. Recent techniques, including genotype and genotype × environment (GGE) biplot, which provides a visual representation of performance and adaptability; weighted average absolute scores of the best linear unbiased predictions (WAASB), which balances the performance of the trait with stability; and multi-trait stability index (MTSI), which integrates multi-trait performance and stability, were used to analyze the stability of the four traits. Results Analysis of variance revealed significant genotype and environment interactions for all the traits studied, highlighting the need for comprehensive stability analysis. The environment E2 was the most suitable for the evaluation of seed cotton yield, whereas E3 was suitable for the evaluation of UHML and fiber strength. A stable hybrid, H05 (TVH002 × MCU5), with superior performance for seed cotton yield and UHML, was identified based on the overall results from GGE and WAASB. The which-won-where bioplot showed that H25 (SVPR3 × MCU5) performed the best for seed cotton yield in E3, and H27 (Suraj × Sunantha) in E2 and E1. The hybrid H04 (TVH002 × CO14) in E1 and H30 (Suraj × MCU5) in E2 and E3 performed well for UHML. Similarly, H28 (Suraj × Suraksha) for E2 and E3 and H26 (Suraj × Subiksha) for E1 were the best performing in the case of fiber strength. Based on the MTSI, four promising hybrids, namely, H24 (SVPR3 × CO14), H09 (TVH2010 × CO14), H18 (MCU7 × Suraksha), and H29 (Suraj × CO14), were identified as stable with average performance for all four traits. Conclusions The study identified a stable hybrid, H05 (TVH002 × MCU5), with superior performance for yield and UHML. The identified hybrids in this study hold significant potential for cultivation across Tamil Nadu, with a scope for further evaluation in diverse environments.