Genetic variation and trait association of tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] evaluated under optimal and moisture stressed environments

Abstract

Tef ['Eragrostis tef' (Zucc.) Trotter] is one of the major cereal crops grown in the Horn of Africa for food and as an export commodity for its unique nutritional qualities. Moisture stress is the leading yield limiting factor of tef production in northern Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were to assess the genetic variability present among 144 tef genotypes of varied population and to identify important agronomic traits with high heritability and correlations for effective breeding. The genotypes were evaluated using four experiments laid down in a 12 x 12 lattice design under moisture stressed and non-stressed conditions in the northern Ethiopia. Main shoot panicle seed weight had high genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) of 22.4% and 25.9% under non-stressed and stressed conditions, respectively. Grain yield had GCV values of 17.6% and 20.0% in the corresponding environments. Heritability was highest under optimum condition than the moisture stressed, which is valuable to conduct effective selection. A path-coefficient analysis indicated that direct selection for high biomass, harvest index and late maturity could increase grain yield under optimal conditions, while under moisture stress conditions early maturity, high biomass and harvest index were important direct selection criteria for tef breeding aiming for drought tolerance.