Grain Yield Potential and Stability of Soybean Genotypes of Different Ages across Diverse Environments in Southern Africa

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] is an important crop in southern Africa where it cultivated a wide range of agro-ecologies. Both spatial and seasonal variability high the region. As result, breeders aim to release varieties with fine balance productivity potential stability. Genotype × environment interaction (GEI) limits selection superior genotypes heterogeneous environments consequently slowing down breeding progress. This study determined magnitude GEI effects genotype superiority index soybean different ages across three countries Africa. Forty-two that were released between 1966 2013 evaluated for two seasons at thirteen diverse locations countries. Additive main multiplicative (AMMI) tools used analyse both stability performance these genotypes. The AMMI analysis showed grain yield variation due genotypes, highly significant (p < 0.001). Environments explained greatest proportion (77%) total treatment sum squares followed by (17.4%) (5.6%), justifying need multi-environmental trials over many this methods useful discriminating identifying common productive stable ages. top four high-yielding (>5.0 tha−1) displayed index. These findings have implications recommendations, progress, strategy.