Genotype X Environment Interactions: Challenges and Opportunities for Plant Breeding and Cultivar Recommendations

Genotype x environment interactions, leading to inconsistency of best-yielding material across cropping environments, challenges plant breeders and complicates cultivar recommendation. However, it may also offer opportunities, e. g. raising yields through material specifically adapted to a given area or crop management practice, or limiting yield reduction in unfavourable years through the cultivation of stable-yielding material. Besides providing general background information, this publication shows how to exploit multi-environment yield trial data for the definition of adaptation strategies and yield stability targets in breeding programmes and in order to optimize cultivar recommendations. Information on useful software for data analysis is provided throughout the book, with special emphasis on IRRISTAT, a programme developed by the International Rice Research Institute, provided on the accompanying CD-ROM.