Stability analysis for economic traits in kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala L.)

Stability analysis was carried out in sixteen kale genotypes including three commercial checks over six environments (three locations for two years) to identify phenotypically stable genotypes that could perform more or less uniformly under different environmental conditions for various economic traits. Pooled analysis of variance for stability in the performance of different genotypes of kale were highly significant for all the characters viz. plant height, plant spread, leaf thickness, stem thickness, leaf number, leaf weight, leaf yield, leaf length, lamina length, leaf breadth, leaf size, average stalk weight, average midrib weight, leaf: stalk ratio, blade: midrib ratio, days to first leaf picking and duration of picking indicating that the material selected possessed significant variation for all the characters under study confirming that the environments selected were variable and random and influenced the expression of most of the traits selected for stability studies. Mean squares arising due to G x E interaction were significant for most of the traits except plant spread, leaf thickness, leaf weight, average stalk weight, average midrib weight, blade: midrib ratio and leaf: stalk ratio revealing that most of the characters under study were having significant differential response to the changing environments and the characters showing non significant mean squares revealed, by and large, less effects of the changing environments. In the present study no genotype was found stable for leaf yield across environments. However, genotypes SH-K-28, SH-K-33, Khanyari and SH-K-21 could be recommended for cultivation across environments on the basis of stability performance for various economic characters.