Stability Analysis of Finger Millet Genotypes in Moisture Stressed Areas of Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Finger millet is one of the important cereals in Ethiopia, preferred for food and local drink preparation and animal feed. In spite of its importance, yield is low due to production problems, such lodging, moisture stress, disease (blast), weed, shortage of improved varieties and poor agronomic managements. Breeding of improved varieties with the farmers’ desired traits is one of the strategies of the national finger millet improvement programs. Multi-location trail is a basic task of breeding programs, for identifying and recommendation of a stable and high yielder variety. Nine advanced finger millet genotypes along with local check and standard check (Tadesse) were evaluated at moisture stressed finger millet growing areas of northern Ethiopia. Experiments were conducted in Rama during 2012, 2013 and 2014, in Ahferom during 2013 and 2014 and in Maistebri during 2014 cropping season, to select and recommend better performing stable genotypes. AMMI, ASV and GGE methods of genotype by environment interaction analysis, identified KNE#622 as relatively with low interaction accompanied with high grain yield performance, which can be recommended for moisture stressed areas. All the parameters indicated the local check and standard check were the worst varieties for their high interaction and low grain yield.

Keywords: Advanced lines, AMMI stability value Ethiopia, finger millet, genotype by environment interaction