Evaluation of Released Tef (<i>Eragrostis tef </i>(Zucc.) Trotter) Varieties in Selected Districts in Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Tef (<i>Eragrostis tef</i> (Zucc.) Trotter) is one of the most important staple food crops cultivated throughout the country. Evaluating and selecting high yielding tef varieties for the study area. Ten tef varieties including one standard check was planted using randomized complete block design at Endegagn, Cheha and Enamorina-Ener districts for two consecutive years; 2017-2018. The mean squares of varieties were highly significant (P≤ 0.01) for plant height and panicle length and significant for grain yield. The mean squares of locations were highly significant (P≤ 0.01) for all traits. The mean square of combined analysis for environment effect on variety (environment × variety/genotypes) were exhibited significant (P≤ 0.05) for plant height and highly significant (P≤ 0.01) for panicle length. Whereas non-significant for grain yield. So it was not necessary to perform analysis of variances for characters to each location. The highest mean grain yield was recorded for Nigus (1.44 t/ha) followed by Filagot (1.363 t/ha) and the least was Dukem (1.096 ton/ha). The tallest in plant height was variety Quncho (95.99 cm) with longer panicle length (33.84 cm) and the shortest was Simada (76.53 cm) but shortest panicle length was from Tsedey (25.79 cm). Whereas, in grain yield Nigus was the highest and stable across locations and Magna, Quncho and Tesfa were the 3rd, the 4th and the 6th stable across locations respectively. When we compare these locations, Endegagn is the potential area than Enemorina–Ener and Cheha districts. Grain yield had positive and highly significant (P≤0.01) association with plant height and panicle length at phenotypic level but non significance at genotypic level. Nigus, Magna and Quncho varieties performed best and high yielders in low rainfall spreading season at grain filling period. The result of the study revealed that Nigus, Magna and Quncho varieties should be used for low rainfall distribution season for tef production in the study area.