Evaluation of Newly Released Improved Haricot Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Varieties Under Smallholder Famers’ Condition in Metekel Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia

Takele Atnafu Delele

doi:10.7176/jnsr/12-20-04

Abstract

Ethiopia has favorable agro ecologies for haricot bean production. The people habitually consume it besides serve as a cash crop across the country. The current production status is not comparable to the existing market and consumption needs coupled with low productivity due to absence of improved haricot bean varieties. This study focused on evaluation of newly released improved haricot bean varieties under smallholder farmers’ condition in Metekel Zone. The evaluation was done in Debate and Mandura districts due to their potential. Five kebeles and 22 hosted farmers were selected purposively based on their experience and willingness to implement the demonstration. SER-119, SER-125 and NASIR varieties were the materials used for evaluation. Each participant farmer provided a 25 m* 25 m (625 m 2 ) plot of land for each variety. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 42 farmers (20 control group) through appropriate data collection tools. The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS (version 26) software package. Farmers’ preference ranking also carried out accordingly based their own criteria. Marketability, grain yield, seed color, maturity date, pod number per plant and disease resistance were the main preference traits for famers. Results show the highest (1303.55 kg ha -1 ) mean grain yield observed from SER-119 variety in all testing sites. Although yield variability observed among the varieties, all the evaluated improved varieties have significant yield increment over the control at (p<0.01). The highest net return (16,539.19 ETB ha -1 ) received from SER-119. Findings revealed that SER-119 and SER-125 dominated NASIR variety particularly regarding grain yield and preferred varieties by farmers. Therefore, farmers have been encouraged to use the preferred varieties accordingly for large-scale production with close guidance of development agents and experts. Keywords : Demonstration, Farmers’ preference, Haricot Bean, Metekel and Varieties DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/12-20-04 Publication date: October 31 st 2021

Highlights

Haricot bean is one of the major pulse crops grown widely in the world
3.1 Capacity building training Trainings were given on haricot bean production and management with full recommended packages to 22 hosted farmers and 12 development agents from Debate and Mandura districts for those who are working on the demonstration sites
The maximum grain yield (1776.4 kg ha-1) was recorded from SER-119 haricot bean variety followed by SER-125 (1504.00 kg ha-1)

Summary

Introduction

Haricot bean is one of the major pulse crops grown widely in the world. Haricot bean positively contributed to improve the nutritional composition of balanced health diets due to its high protein content and micro-nutrient concentration(Worku, 2015). Haricot bean is the most important food legume for direct human consumption as well as for international market to earn foreign currencies(Yokamo and Wotro, 2018). Haricot beans are among the most important grain legumes produced by small-scale farmers for both subsistence and cash mainly in the lowlands and in the rift valley areas of Ethiopia(Lemu, 2016). It is one of the lowland pulse crops produced in different parts of Ethiopia. Haricot bean is considered as the main cash crop and protein source of farmers in many low lands and mid altitude zones of Ethiopia(Beyene et al, 2020)

Methods

Results

Conclusion