Genotypic Interaction in a National Network of Common Bean Trials Across the Three Cropping Seasons in Brazil

The cultivation of common bean in Brazil typically occurs in three annual cropping seasons across all major geographic regions of the country, exposing genotypes to contrasting environmental conditions in both time and space. With this purpose, this study aimed to investigate the influence of G×E interaction on common bean yield, considering different sites, seasons, and years, as well as to evaluate the contribution of fixed and random effects. Data from 424 multi-environment trials (METs) conducted by Embrapa between 2011 and 2018 were used, involving 87 genotypes across three cropping seasons (Wet, Dry, and Winter) distributed over 71 locations. Genetic and environmental effects were estimated through linear mixed models fitted with the REML/BLUP method. In addition, multivariate analyses, including the GGE Biplot, were used to decompose and visualize G×E effects, while missing data were addressed through imputation of missing PCA values. Environmental stratification and the identification of mega-environments made it possible to group sites with similar characteristics based on the presence or absence of G×E interaction. The stability and adaptability analysis of the cultivars, based on a ranking that considered the particularities of the PRVG, MHPRVG, Lin and Binns, Wricke’s Wi, and Finlay–Wilkinson indices, revealed distinct patterns of behavior across the three seasons.