Stability behaviour in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Experiments were conducted to study the stability behavior for seed yields its contributing traits and seed quality parameters of improved and high-yielding varieties of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) during (Rabi) 2018–19 and 2019–20 under irrigated and rainfed environments. Irrigated environment was relatively better for the expression of wider range and higher mean for all parameters. Genotype × environment interaction was significant for days to 50 % flowering, days to maturity, primary branches/plant, secondary branches/plant, total branches/plant, and length of main raceme/plant, siliqua on main raceme/plant, siliqua / plant, harvest index and biological yield/plant. G × E (linear) was also turned significant to these traits including plant height and number of primary branches per plant. All 65 genotypes were tested for 3 stability parameters, viz., mean, bi and S2di. Out of these, the genotypes ‘Kranti’, ‘NDR8501’, ‘SIVT17-83’, ‘SIVT17-23’ and ‘Vardan’ were identified to be high yielding and stable. ‘Varuna’ and ‘Vardan’ were having superior performance for seed yield/plant but were found to be suitable for cultivation under irrigated (favorable) environment. Genotypes, viz., ‘Kranti’, ‘NDR8501’, ‘SIVT17-83’, ‘SIVT17-23’, ‘Varuna’ and ‘Vardan’ thus may be included in further breeding programme to develop high-yielding stable genotypes over the environments. Direct selection in the segregating generations of such parents for seedling dry weight, speed of germination along with simultaneous selection for total branches/plant, siliqua on main raceme/plant and 1000-seed weight will be responsive for improvement of seed yield/plant in Indian mustard.