Stability and Environmental Indices Analyses for Yield Attributing Traits in Indian Vigna radiata Genotypes under Arid Conditions

The performance of 44 elite mungbean genotypes for nine quantitative traits under three heterogeneous environments was evaluated for genotype×environment interactions and stability parameters. The genotype×environment interaction was significant for 1000-seed weight, number of seeds/pod and days to 50% flowering. In all 22 genotypes exhibited stability across the environments with regard to one or more morphological characters. Water stress during early stages of development to flowering stage and/or from pod development to harvest during 2009 and 2011 resulted in the lower seed yields. Contrary to this, during 2010 continuous rains coupled with high relative humidity and comparatively the lower temperatures during the cropping season resulted in higher seed yields. Despite of the fact that 18 genotypes were recorded with higher seed yields, of which only four genotypes MH-521, GM-9924, ML-1333 and Ganga-8 exhibited stability across environments indicating their adoption to arid and semi-arid regions.