In this study, a more comprehensive concept of resistance to pathogens in cotton genotypes is formulated by including, in the evaluation criteria, the phenotypic stability of this attribute, when environments comprising different severity of the disease incidence are considered. To validate the method, a study was carried out based on data obtained in experiments concerning genotype evaluation for Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. vasinfectum), bacterial blight (Xanthomonas citri subsp. malvacearum), "ramulose" or supersprouting (Colletotrichum gossypii var. cephalosporioides), areola mildew (Ramularia areola), and the nematodes Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis. Significant genotype x environment interaction occurred in all these cases, suggesting subsequent analyses on phenotypic stability of the genotype resistance or tolerance to these pathogens. Considerable differences were observed regarding this characteristic and its association with a parameter expressive of the worst performance in the evaluations led to more secure prevision and classification of the reaction of genotypes to the incidence of the considered diseases.
Disease severity; genotype x environment interaction
