AMMI and GGE Biplot Applied to Genotype x Environments Interaction.

The objectives of this work were to evaluate the genotype x environment (G x E) interaction and to compare the multivariate analyses AMMI and GGE. The experiments were conducted at the Experimental Station of Coimbra-MG, Brazil, 20^o 50’ 30’’ S and 42 48’ 30’’ W and 720 meters above sea level, at the Crop Science Department of Viçosa Federal University. Thus, the nine popcorn cultivars were used on 8 sowing dates during two agricultural years. The first two principal components of GGE Biplot analysis absorbed 85.24% of the total variance of the original variables. The cultivar Zélia contributed the least for G x E interaction. The cultivars Viçosa and Rosa-claro showed performance similarity. Optimization of G x E was obtained for CMS 42 for a favorable mega environment and for CMS 43 for an unfavorable environment. Thus, it was concluded that the graphic analysis of the AMMI is simple, allowing to draw conclusions about stability, genotypic performance, genetic divergence between cultivars and the environments that optimize their performance; the graphic analysis of the GGE method adds to AMMI environmental stratification, defining mega-environments and the cultivars that optimize these mega-environments; and that both methods are adequate to explain the genotypes x environments interactions.