Genotype by yield*trait (GYT) biplot analysis: a novel approach for evaluating advance lines of durum wheat

A novel genotype by yield*trait (GYT) biplot approach was applied in the present study to select the superior durum wheat advanced lines based on multiple traits from the panel of 20 genotypes. Our findings suggested that genotype by trait (GT) biplot explained less total variation (42.6%) as compared to GYT biplot (85.1%). The tester vector view of GYT biplot revealed the positive strong correlation among most of the grain yield (GY) trait combinations. The which-won-where view of GYT biplot divided the polygon into six sectors, out of which only two sectors possessed the yield trait combinations. The first sector harbored three yield trait combinations, viz., GY*grain weight per spike (GWS), GY*spike length (SL) and GY*thousand grains weight (TGW), and five genotypes (DF19D7, DF19D8, DF19D9, DF19D14, and DF19D16) for which DF19D14 was the winner genotype. However, genotype DF19D13 was the polygon vortex of the other sector having GY*number of grains per spike (GS), GY*number of spikelets per spike (SPS), GY*harvest index (HI), GY*plant height (PH), GY* days to heading (DH), and GY*days to physiological maturity (DM) yield trait combinations and encompassed six contesting genotypes (DF19D4, DF19D6, DF19D13, DF19D15, DF19D18, and DF19D19). The average tester coordination (ATC) biplot categorized 12 advanced lines as better performers than the average and ranked as DF19D13 > DF19D14 > DF19D4 > DF19D16 > DF19D12 > DF19D9 > DF19D7 > DF19D19 > DF19D18 > DF19D15 > DF19D6 > DF19D8, while designated eight as inferior genotypes, performed below the average mark. Overall, these findings indicated that the genotypes (DF19D13 and DF19D14) had the right combination of traits of interest required to produce higher yield and hence are potentially valuable candidates to be tested in multi-location trials for stable performance prior to release for farmer community.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel genotype by yield*trait (GYT) biplot approach was used to select superior durum wheat advanced lines based on multiple traits. The GYT biplot explained a higher proportion of total variation compared to the genotype by trait (GT) biplot. By analyzing the biplot, it was found that certain genotypes exhibited desirable combinations of traits for higher yield, making them potential candidates for further testing in multi-location trials.