Adaptability Evaluation and Selection of Some Improved tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) Variety’s in Bench Maji Zone South Western, Ethiopia

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to identify, select and recommend adaptable, high yielding, Insect pest and disease resistant eleven released and one local variety at Bench Maji zone of SNNPR. Twelve varieties were evaluated in RCBD with three replication on station at South Bench, Guraferda and Sheko on main cropping season of 2015 and 2016. Analysis of variance revealed that except grain filling period at Guraferda woredathere were significant(p< 0.005) differences among genotypes for culm length, panicle length, plant height, days to heading, days to maturity, grain filling period, primary panicle brunch, grain yield, biomass yield and harvest index at South Bench, Guraferda and Sheko. Based on the obtained result, three improved tef varieties namely;kora, Boset and Dukem at South Bench; Quncho, Gimbechu and Enatit at Guraferda and also Dukem, Quncho and Gimbechu at Sheko showed better performance for most of the studied characters including grain yield. Therefore, these three varieties were selected and recommended for the study area and similar ecologies of Bench Maji Zone.On the other hand Magna at South Bench, Degatef at Guraferda and local variety showed lowest grain yield.

Keywords: Adaptability, Grain yield Tef and varieties