The success of sunflower crop in Brazil is associated to the choice of adapted cultivars to different environments. When there are different genotypes answers in different environments, the release of new cultivars can be facilitated by carrying out studies of adaptability and stability of these genotypes to reduce the effects of genotypes x environments interaction. In Brazil, this information become more important, therefore the main cultivars had been developed in others countries, with different soil traits and climate. The objective of this study was to select sunflower genotypes for the sub-tropical region of Brazil. Experimental data from 1999/2000 to 2003/2004 were obtained by the National Sunflower Trials, coordinated by Embrapa Soja. The evaluated traits were grain and oil yields (kg ha-1). It was carried out a study of adaptability and stability of genotypes according to the methods proposed by PORTO et al. (2007), EBERHART & RUSSELL (1966) and ROCHA et al. (2005). Differently from the method of EBERHART & RUSSELL (1966), PORTO et al. (2007) selected genotypes, that despite of its lower overall average in relation to reference standard had good performance in specific environments. This method was more rigorous to select genotypes, when compared with ROCHA et al. (2005). For grain yield, genotype ACA 884 was indicated for general environments, EM 677008, Agrobel 930 and GV 26048 were indicated for favorable environments and ACA 885 for the unfavorable environments. In the same way, for oil yield, ACA 884 had general indication, GV 26048, CF 17, Agrobel 972 and Helio 358 are indicated for favorable environments and HT 01 and ACA 885 for the unfavorable ones.
Helianthus annuus; interaction genotypes x environments; genetic breeding
