Multi-location Based Evaluation of tef Genotypes for Grain Yield Stability and Agronomic Performance in Western Ethiopian High Lands

Girma Chemeda

doi:10.7176/jbah/10-17-06

Abstract

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is extensively cultivated and most important cereal crop in Ethiopia in terms of production, consumption and cash crop value and grown on about 3 million hectares annually. Because of its gluten-free proteins and slow release carbohydrate constituents, tef is recently being advocated and promoted as health crop at the global level. However, the productivity of tef is very low compared to other cereals mainly due to lack of high yielding and lodging tolerant cultivars. For this purpose, several genotypes were evaluated under different breeding stages in multi-locations so as to screen and reach at stable, high yielding and stress tolerant varieties. Accordingly, the year 2017/18 twenty five recombinant inbred- lines were tested in preliminary variety trial out of which sixteen genotypes were advanced to regional variety trial and tested in 2018/19 and 2019/20 in multi-locations. Finally the combined analysis of variance across the three locations revealed highly significant (p<0.01) difference among genotypes for grain yield, days to mature, plant height, panicle length, lodging %, effective tiller, and crop stand. Among tested genotypes three, RIL 76B, RIL 46 and RIL 43A found to be stable, high yielder and lodging tolerant across the tasted locations with grain yield advantage of 26.62%, 19.77% and 12.72% over the standard check respectively. Therefore based on their high yield and stable performance, genotypes RIL 76B, RIL 46 and RIL 43A were promoted to Variety Verification Trial (VVT) evaluation and for possible release. Keywords : Eragrostis, Genotypes, stability, tef DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-17-06 Publication date: September 30 th 2020

Highlights

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a self pollinated warm season annual grass with the advantage of C4 photosynthetic pathway (Miller, 2010)
Tef is among the major Ethiopian cereal crops grown on over 3 million hectares annually (CSA, 2018), and serving as staple food grain for over 70 million people
The material were tested in Nursery during 2016/17 at Shambu sub-site and reduced to twenty five genotypes and evaluated in preliminary variety trial for one year during 2017/18

Summary

Introduction

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a self pollinated warm season annual grass with the advantage of C4 photosynthetic pathway (Miller, 2010). Tef is among the major Ethiopian cereal crops grown on over 3 million hectares annually (CSA, 2018), and serving as staple food grain for over 70 million people. The area devoted to tef cultivation is increased because both the grain and straw fetch high domestic market prices. Tef is a resilient crop adapted to diverse agro-ecologies with reasonable tolerance to both low (especially terminal drought) and high (water logging) moisture stresses. Tef is useful as a low-risk crop to farmers due to its high potential of adaptation to climate change and fluctuating environmental conditions (Balsamo et al, 2005). Until recently, tef was considered as “orphan” crop: one receiving no international attention regarding research on breeding, agronomic practices or other technologies applicable to smallholder farmers

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