Grain yield stability was tested in 10 single cross maize hybrids and their reciprocal crosses
in 2016 and 2017, within a total of seven environments. Five were early hybrids with
Lancaster ZPL-1 line as a mutual parent (ZPH1 to ZPH5 where ZPL-1 was a father, and ZPH1r
to ZPH5r with ZPL-1 as a mother). Other five were late hybrids with mutual ZPL-2
Lancaster line (ZPH6 to ZPH10, and ZPH6r to ZPH10r). Significant difference at p<0.01 level
was observed between average grain yield of the early vs. late hybrids (10.82 vs. 11.04
tha-1). Also, stability parameters were significantly different; bi was 0.946 on average for
the early hybrids and 1.054 for the late ones (p<0.01), thereby confirming that the early
hybrids performed better in poorer environments, and vice versa. This is a common finding
in Serbia. Regarding S2di, the difference between early and late hybrids was significant at
p<0.1 level (0.166 and 0.487 for early and late hybrids, respectively). Also, S2di was
significantly different at p<0.1 level for early hybrids and their reciprocals, as well as all the
other hybrids and their reciprocals. Namely, reciprocal hybrids were less stable (Lancaster
as a mother). Best-performing hybrid was ZPH6r, yielding 12.06 tha-1 on average (the
highest yield in the trial), with bi=1.16, and S2di=0.06. The hybrid performed well in
favourable agronomical conditions, as well as maintaining grain yield stability across other
environment types
