During the years 1998 to 2000, 22 maize cultivars (varieties, hybrids and populations) were evaluated in 45 environments of the Brazilian Northeast region, in order to know the adaptability and the stability of those materials for recommendation purposes. The experimental design was random blocks with three repetitions. The combined analysis of variance showed inconsistency in the behavior for the cultivars due to environmental variations. The hybrids showed better adaptation than the varieties and populations, especially Cargill 333 B, AG 1051 and Zeneca 8501, which are viable alternatives for farmers that invest in modern technologies. The varieties Sertanejo, AL 25, São Francisco, São Vicente, Asa Branca and BR 106 are indicated to the farming systems of the small and medium farmers.
Zea mays; hybrid; variety; genotype x environment interaction
