Comparative study for stability and adaptability through different models in developed high thebaine lines of opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.)

Successful development of stable and adaptable crop varieties solely depend on the positive results obtained from the interaction between genotype and environment that consequently has significant impact on breeding strategies. GEI is a finest breeding approach that helps in the development of varieties for specific or wide adaptation, depends on the expression of stability. The present study was aimed to find out the stable thebaine rich line out of the seven advanced breeding high thebaine lines which have been developed for the first time through rigrous selection from advance generations of interspecific population derived from cross between Papaver somniferum L. and Pa paver setigerum DC. based on the estimate of genotype × environment interaction (GEI). The results of ANOVA showed wide variability in the genotypes under testing which suggested that the genotypes interacted differentially with respect to yield performance, so further stability analysis across environments should be followed before being released for commercial cultivation. The overall stability analysis following different stability models (including regression and graphical models) concluded that the lines NBIHT-1, NBIHT-3 and NBIHT-4 were highly stable and adaptable for seed, opium and thebaine content in different agro-climatic conditions Lines. NBIHT-5 and NBIHT-6 can also perform drastically well in specific climatic conditions to obtain maximum gain. The study concluded that the GGE Biplot model proposed by Yan and Hunt is best suited for stability analysis than other different stability models due to ease in visualization of stable genotypes from the graphical representation. Commercialization of such developed high thebaine lines having more than 10% thebaine in comparison to the existing genotypes having 1-2% thebaine could revolutionize pharmaceutical industries worldwide.