Evaluating the stability of modern sugar beet cultivars (Beta vulgaris L.) for introduction in rhizomania-contaminated areas

Rhizomania destroys sugar beet globally, but breeding disease-resistant genotypes is crucial in fighting it. In this study, 13 modern genotypes were examined based on the list provided by the Iraniai Seed Registration and Certification Institute. Genotypes grown in a randomized complete block design, with four replications in Iran's Karaj, Mashhad, Miandoab, Shiraz, and Hamedan stations. Results revealed that F-21375 and F-21092 genotypes achieved the highest white sugar yield in all five investigated stations. The results of additive mean effect multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis based on white sugar yield showed that the additive effects of genotype and environment and the multiplicative effect of G×E accounted for 13.11, 51.29, and 10.60% of the total data variance, respectively. The AMMI stability parameters identified the F-21376 genotype as a stable variety that produces a high white sugar yield in five locations. Also, the first two components of the interaction effect (G×E) explained 80.70% of the variance. The biplot analysis showed that F-21376 was the genotype that produced the greatest white sugar yield and stability in infected conditions. Based on the results of the multi-trait stability index (MTSI), F-21375, and F-21372 genotypes were selected as ideal genotypes. Finally, it can be concluded that two genotypes, F-21375 and F-21376, can be introduced as high-yielding and disease-resistant genotypes in the beet cultivation areas due to their white sugar yield and stability in experimental environments.