Performance evaluation and participatory varietal selection of improved bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties, the case of Debre Elias District, Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is an economically important and widely grown crop in Ethiopia. It is the dominant crop grown in Debre Elias district. However, its annual productivity is very low due to biotic (diseases & pests) and abiotic factors (climate change i.e. temperature & rainfall variability), the limited use of local varieties, and more dominantly one improved variety Kekeba for repeated years. Hence, this experiment was conducted in Debre Elias district in the 2018/2019 cropping season at two Kebeles (Guay and Tijagotir) to identify farmers' preferences and selection criteria and best performing and rust disease-resistant varieties among the tasted “ten bread wheat varieties” through farmers' participation. Ten improved bread wheat varieties, including standard check, were used as treatments. The treatments were arranged in randomized completed block design with three replications for mother trial and farmers were used as replication for baby trials. Farmers' evaluation was made at flowering and maturity stages by using both direct-matrix for varieties and pair-wise ranking for traits. The analysis of variance of agronomic and rust disease traits indicated that the presence of highly significant (P < 0.01). Varieties namely; Abola (4.02 ton-ha −1 ) followed by Ogoloncho (3.89 ton-ha- 1 ) was highest yielding and immune to rust diseases than the standard check (Kekeba = 2.85 ton-ha −1 ) in the mother trial. Similarly, Abola (3.99 ton-ha −1 ) followed by Ogoloncho (3.87 ton-ha −1 ) was the highest yielding over the standard check (Kekeba = 3.18 ton-ha −1 ) and the other varieties tested in the baby trial. Accordingly, two varieties (Abola and Ogoloncho) ranked 1st and 2nd in the direct matrix scoring by farmers. Moreover, this study indicated that participatory varietal selection is a viable method to gain greater insight into farmers’ perceptions, preferences, merits, and shortcomings of bread wheat varieties. Therefore, based on the results of this study, Abola and Ogoloncho are recommended for production, multiplication as well as distribution to farmers through both formal and informal seed systems in both locations of the study area.