Stability and Seasonal Performance of Fruit Yield traits in Elite Mulberry (Morus spp.) Genotypes

Abstract

A study was conducted at the Department of Sericulture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru during 2023-24 to evaluate the stability of elite mulberry genotypes across three different seasons. Stability parameters were analyzed to assess the adaptability of these genotypes. A promising and stable genotype was identified based on higher mean performance, unitary regression (bi) values and minimal deviation from regression (S²di). Most genotypes displayed low environmental sensitivity and were well-adapted across seasons, allowing for performance prediction across all seasons. For fruit characteristics, ME-0220 consistently outperformed other genotypes in terms of the number of fruits per plant and per branch across winter, summer and rainy seasons. ME-0006 showed superior performance in fruit width, length, weight and yield per plant excelling in nearly all traits. Both ME-0006 and ME-0220 were found to be stable and high-yielding across the three seasons based on the G × E interaction and their consistent performance in fruit yield and its related traits. These results highlight the importance of selecting stable, high-yielding mulberry genotypes to enhance sustainable production and promote the development of diversified mulberry agro-industries.