Assessment of Phenotypic Stability and Yield Performance in Three-Line Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Hybrids Across Nigeria Agro-ecologies

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) production in Nigeria faces significant challenges, with current average yields of 2.0 t/ha falling well below the global average of 4.5 t/ha. This study evaluated four hybrid rice genotypes (IR138867H, IR138840H, IR138982H and IR138758H) against three commercial checks (FARO 44, FARO 66, and FARO 68) across two contrasting agro-ecological zones in Nigeria. Using a randomized complete block design with three replications, key agronomic traits such as flowering time, plant height, panicle length, tiller number, maturity period, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield were assessed.  Results indicated that plant height and panicle length were significantly influenced by environmental factors (P = .05). The hybrid IR138982H demonstrated superior performance with grain yields of 6.55 t/ha, representing a 22.91% yield advantage over the best commercial check (Faro 68). Significant (P = .05) difference in genotype-environment interactions were observed for flowering time, plant height, and grain yield, emphasizing the importance of location-specific hybrid deployment strategies. These findings have identified IR138982H as a promising hybrid candidate for improving rice productivity in Nigeria, supporting efforts to enhance domestic production and reduce import dependence.