Integrating different stability models to investigate genotype × environment interactions and identify stable and high-yielding barley genotypes

Barley is the fourth largest grain crop globally with varieties suited to temperate, subarctic, and subtropical areas. The identification and subsequent selection of superior varieties are complicated by genotype-by-environment interactions. The main objective of this study was to use parametric and non-parametric stability measures along with a GGE biplot model to identify high-yielding stable barley genotypes in Iran. Eighteen barley genotypes (16 new genotypes and two control varieties) were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replications at five locations over three growing seasons (2013–2014, 2014–2015, 2015–2016). The combined analysis of variance indicated that the environment main effect accounted for > 69% of all variation, compared with