Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa affecting 33 million preschool-age children. Enrichment of maize varieties with provitamin A could provide sustainable and affordable solution to VAD. This study was conducted to understand the extent of GEI effects on both grain yield and provitamin A content in 21 maize synthetics and identify synthetics combining stable performance with high level provitamin A content across diverse environments in West Africa. Combined analysis of variance found significant (p < 0.01) GEI effects that prompted further investigation of the GEI magnitude using mixed model with factor analysis. Factors 1 and 2 explained 71% of the total variability. G5, G4, G12, G18, G2 and G14 were broadly adapted to a range of environments and considered the most stable and high yielding. G8, G1, and G10 were specifically adapted to a group of environments. Whereas, G21, G19 and G17 were found to be the worst and unstable genotypes. G4 combined stable performance with high provitamin A content, whereas G20 and G18 were stable but had low provitamin A contents. Three genotypes, G4, G12 and G14 were found to combine stability with high provitamin A contents. These genotypes can be recommended for production in the low-land tropics of West and Central Africa with similar environments.

https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10681-019-2505-3

Multi standard citation

APAHarvardMLAVancouverChicagoIEEE

Wende Mengeshahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2239-7323

Abebe Menkirhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5907-9177

SILVESTRO MESEKAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1004-2450

https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10681-019-2505-3

BIOTECH & PLANT BREEDING

Food Science; Food Security; Genetic Improvement; Nutrition; Plant Breeding; Plant Genetic Resources

Provitamins; Carotenoids; Zea Mays; Stability; Vitamin A Deficiency; Grain; Yields; Factor Analysis; Genotype Environment Interaction

Africa; West Africa

Nigeria

Euphytica