PROGRESS, ADAPTABILITY AND STABILITY OF SOYBEAN GRAIN YIELD AND GRAIN QUALITY IN CONVENTIONALLY CREATED ELITE LINES

The objective of this study was to determine the progress in grain yield and grain quality accomplished with conventional breeding methods, as well as to identify stable, widely or specifically adapted genotypes under central European growing conditions. Recently developed soybean elite lines of maturity groups (MGs) 00, 0 and I were compared with commercial cultivars (standards) in comparative field tests during three consecutive years (2018-2020) in Osijek, Croatia. The ANOVA results showed significant genotype, environment, and genotype-by-environment interaction effects. There was a significant improvement in productivity and quality in comparison to standards, while stability parameters for tested traits indicated there are stable and mostly specifically adaptable elite lines. Improvement of the domestic gene pool and high agronomic performances of elite lines stable in most important economic traits will considerably contribute to increasing and improving soybean production in central Europe.