Abstract
Genetic erosion can result in the loss of sorghum landrace genetic diversity. In the study areas, although it is generally believed that genetic erosion had occurred, there are no data on its amount and extent. Thus, this study is aimed to assess farmers’ perception about the use of sorghum landraces and their genetic erosion and to identify suggested reasons for the replacement of sorghum landraces. To this end, a field survey of 1200 farmers, randomly selected over the three districts (Tenta, Mekdela, and Delanta) during 2006 to 2015/2016 main cropping seasons, was undertaken. Structured questionnaire survey of households, focused group discussions, key informant interviews, and field observations were used to collect data. Moreover, the data for samples collected during 1980 were obtained from the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI). Sorghum landrace history profile analysis indicated that there was an insight in the use of local varieties among local farmers over the past three or above decades. However, there is a reduction trend due to the different selection criteria described by farmers. “Kokita,” “Merar,” “Marchuke,” “Tinkish” (except for “Necho-Tinkish” and “Jofa-Tinkish”), and “Fesho” were totally excluded (lost) by local farmers attributed by home consumption preferences. The interviewed farmers indicated that genetic erosion had occurred. Genetic erosion of 100% was observed in white sorghum in Mekdela and 66.7% in Delanta and Tenta districts. Likewise, genetic erosion of red sorghum, 25%, 20%, and 75%, respectively, was detected in Tenta, Mekdela, and Delanta. For yellow sorghum grains, genetic erosion was 33.4% in Tenta and 66.7% in Mekdela and Delanta. Genetic erosion for “Tinkish” was found to be 66.7% in Tenta and 50% in Mekdela and Delanta. Based on farmer responses, genetic erosion was attributed to reduced benefits from landraces, drought, climate change, market price and demand, and reduction in land size. The actions of both natural and conscious selection on farm were also discussed in detail as genetic erosion scenarios. Therefore, attention should be given to conservation of farmers’ varieties in which involving farmers’ participation is very important in order to use their indigenous knowledge for conservation of FVs and on-farm conservation strategies should be practiced for FV sustainable use. Thus, genetic resource conservation is attained.
Highlights
For several economically important cereals such as sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), wheat (Triticum spp.), and barley (Hordeum spp.), Ethiopia is considered as center of diversity [1, 2]
Farmers have been more risk liable and factors such as more frequent drought and unreliable rainfall, and increased pest infestation, late maturing, agronomic value, and consumption preferences have been contributed to a change in farmer landrace selection [18]. e result of the present study was shown that majority of farmers were growing sorghum landraces for home consumption (98.2%)
About 47.0% of the farmers produced sorghum landraces for sale as a seed when they have excess as grain and 8.6% for fire wood and construction purposes (Table 2). e seed exchange networking system was very poor in all surveyed areas, worsening seed preservation within the farming communities
Summary
For several economically important cereals such as sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), wheat (Triticum spp.), and barley (Hordeum spp.), Ethiopia is considered as center of diversity [1, 2]. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a cereal plant member of the family of Poaceae [3] It is the fifth most important cereal in the world after maize, rice, wheat, and barley [4] with a worldwide production estimated to 60 million tons per year on cultivated area of 46 million hectares [5], and it is the main source of food, energy, and beverages for millions of people in arid and semiarid environments [3, 4]. Farmers believed that diverse cropping practice or/and pattern is common for most traditional crops in lowland areas and has led to a higher dependency, and they are replacing sorghum landraces (Figure 4). E decrease in land size and area allocation for sorghum landrace production was another challenge described by local farmers. Hawkes [41] reported that smaller area in traditional crops reduces its diversity
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