Factor analysis in the environment stratification for the evaluation of common bean cultivars

Abstract

Two trials evaluating the value of cultivation and use (VCU) for common bean were conducted in six counties of the state of Minas Gerais in 2002 and 2003 for the three traditional crop seasons. Objective was to investigate the efficiency of different methods of environmental stratification. The subgroups formed by the traditional environmental stratification presented, for the most part, environments corresponding to the winter cultivation period, indicating in this case a small effect of the site on the performance of the lines in this cultivation period. The splitting of the interaction in simple and complex fractions did not enhance the clustering based on the traditional method of stratification. The factor analysis was however more effective at clarifying the similarity between the environments than the analysis based on the principle of insignificant interaction genotypes x environments, indicating its potential for this kind of studies.