A study on genotype–environment interaction based on GGE biplot graphical method in sunflower genotypes (Helianthus annuus L.)

GGE biplot technique is one of the appropriate methods for investigating the genotype–environment interaction. An experiment was conducted to examine and evaluate the stability and adaptability of grain yield of 12 sunflower genotypes using the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in five regions including Karaj, Birjand, Firooz‐Abad, Kashmar, and Arak within two agricultural years. Analysis of variance indicated that the effect of location, year, location × year, genotype, and genotype × location was significant at 1% probability level. Results of biplot analysis showed that the first and second principle components accounted 50.6% and 22.8%, respectively, and in total 73.4% of grain yield variance. In this study, genotype, location, year, year × location, genotype × location, genotype × year, and genotype × year × location explained 2.75%, 17.36%, 5.47%, 17%, 10.8%, 1.04%, and 7.48% of total variance, respectively. Investigating the polygon view led to the identification of three top genotypes and also three mega‐environment. The first mega‐environment included Karaj, Birjand, and Kashmar. The second was Arak, and the third was Firooz‐Abad. To study the kernel yield and stability of genotypes simultaneously, average coordinate view of environments was used and it was determined that genotype Zaria with the highest grain yield has high yield stability also. Ranking the cultivars based on the ideal genotype introduced the genotype Zaria as the best genotype. The highest grain yield belonged to Zaria cultivar at 3.34 t/ha followed by Favorite with 3.23 t/ha. Results obtained from ranking the environments based on the ideal environment introduced Kashmar and Birjand regions as the best environments. Examining the biplot figure for testing environments correlation confirms the positive correlation among Karaj, Birjand, and Kashmar. Correlation between Karaj with Arak, Karaj with Firooz‐Abad, and Arak with Firooz‐Abad was negative. Arak and Firooz‐Abad were highly discriminating and representative and would be used to identification of superior genotypes.