Evaluation of performance and stability of six genotypes of Queen pineapple

Y. K. Chan and H. K. Lee

Abstract

Six genotypes from the Queen group of pineapple, viz. Moris Taiwan, Queen India, Moris Slipping, Moris Sungei Balang, MacGregor and Tailung, were tested over four diverse environments at Pontian (peat), Kundang (sand-tailings), Bukit Tangga and Serdang (clay-loam).The ANOVA showed that genotype, environment and GxE effects were mostly significant for the 13 characters evaluated. Bukit Tangga, in the agro-ecological Zone 1 which is characterized by a 2 to 3-month dry spell, appeared to be the most suitable location for producing quality Queen pineapples. However, response to flower induction was found to be slightly poorer. The most promising Queen genotype in this trial was Moris Taiwan. It had the heaviest mean fruit weight (1.3 kg), which was on the average about 20% heavier than the others. However, its response to flower induction (92%) was slightly poorer, and when fruit weight and flowering percentage were used to compute plot yields, it was found that Moris Taiwan was about 15% higher yielding than the other Queen genotypes. Significant GxE interactions in total soluble solids (TSS), fruit weight and yield were examined in depth, and the stability of the genotypes in these characters were estimated using a non-parametric ranking method. For TSS, Tailung was the best genotype, having consistently the highest mean values over all four locations, and this resulted in the lowest possible stability estimate of S_i ³ = 0. Tailung and Moris Taiwan were found to be unstable in yield (S_i ³ = 5.33 and 3.95, respectively). The instability of Tailung was a result of inconsistency in fruit weight over the four environments, while the instability in yield of Moris Taiwan was a consequence of erratic response to flower induction at Bukit Tangga.

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