Assessment of Improved Tef (Eragrostis tef L.) Varieties for Yield and Yield Related Traits at Nono Benja and Cheliya Districts, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Tef (Eragrostis tef) is one of the most important and strategic cereal crop grown to drought prone areas of Ethiopia. Genetic variability, genotypic correlations and yield components are prerequisite for selection of crop breeding, cultivation of improved varieties that provides optimum seed yield is one of the major constraints of the crop. The present study was aimed to investigate the adaptive and best performing tef varieties based on their yield and related traits under rain fed conditions at Nono Benja and Celia districts in Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted by using split plot design with three replications, sixteen improved varieties and one local landrace. The combined analysis of variance revealed that varieties were significantly different for studied characters except panicle length, total tiller number and spikelet length. The mean yields of nine improved  varieties (Dukem, Asgori, Tesfa, Negus, Quncho, Kora, Koye, Boset and key tena) were relatively higher than the local check comparing with mean values of grain yield ranged from Welkomi (372.08 kg/ ha) to Dukem (1315.41 kg/ ha).Grain yields were studied high in four varieties across two locations were (Dukem (1315.4 kg/ ha), asgori (1279.6 kg/ ha), Tesfa (1206.02 kg/ ha), Negus (1072.61 kg/ ha) with 72.8%, 68.2%, 58.5 %, and 41% over local check. The genotypic coefficient variation was observed that from 4.6% to 82.9% for loading index and the phenotypic coefficient variation range from 5.8% to 91.0% for loading index at Cheliya, respectively, the fertilizer application (0, 60/40 P/N kgha^-1) showed highly differences among all traits except in GFP, PH and TGW traits. The varieties Gibe, Koye, Boset, Gimbichu, Enat and Kora were observed highly strong association with the environment, similarly Asgori and Gedo varieties were showed highly significant and strong connection with the environment Nono Benja with fertilization. Results reveal that the correlation studies provide a better understanding of yield components during the selection of tef genotypes.