Four hundred and fifteen sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) accessions consisting of 391 landraces collected from different geographical regions in Ethiopia and Eritrea, 8 varieties and 16 introduced elite breeding lines were used for this study. The materials were classified on the basis of regions of origin and adaptation zones. Phenotypic variation for ten qualitative (categorical) characters that displayed two or more classes were estimated using the Shannon‐Weaver diversity index (H'). High and comparable levels of phenotypic variation were found between the regions of origin and between the adaptation zones. However, significant levels of variation were found within the regions of origin and within the adaptation zones. Partitioning of the variation into within and between regions as well as into within and between adaptation zones further confirmed that a large portion of the total variation was found within regions of origin and within adaptation zones. Panicle compactness and shape contributed relatively more to regional differentiation. These characters were also found to be disproportionately distributed within the regions of origin with the compact panicles frequently distributed in relatively dry regions, while the loose panicle types were widely found in relatively wet and humid regions. The differential distribution of the different panicle types indicated the adaptive significance of panicle compactness and shape and at the same time reflected the distribution patterns of different races of sorghum in Ethiopia. Chi‐square analysis revealed that the occurrence of seed colour was non‐randomly associated with that of the other characters.

The extent and distribution of genetic variation in wild sorghum (Sorghum bicolor ssp. verticilliflorum (L.) Moench) collected from five different geographical regions in Ethiopia were analyzed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers for 93 individuals representing 11 populations. Nine decamer primers generated a total of 83 polymorphic bands with 8-12 bands per primer and a mean of 9 bands across the 93 individuals. The amount of genetic variation among the populations (H = 0.37) and among the geographical region (H = 0.44) was low to moderate, despite the high degree of polymorphic bands per primer. Similarly, the mean genetic distance (0.08) among populations as well as among regions of origin (0.04) of the population was found to be low. The low genetic variation may be due to the reduced population size of the wild sorghum in Ethiopia because of habitat change. Partitioning of the genetic variation into between and within the population as well as between and within the regions of origin revealed that 75% and 88% of the variation was found within the populations and within the regions, respectively. Cluster analysis of genetic distance estimates further confirmed low level of differentiation of wild sorghum populations both on population and regional bases. The implications of the results for genetic conservation purposes are discussed.

Background: Tomato has significant economic importance in Ethiopia. Although quantitative evidence is limited, postharvest loss in tomato is considerably high. This study presents qualitative and quantitative postharvest losses of tomato. The study was conducted in 2015 in two districts (Bora and Dugda) located in East Shewa Zone of Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia, located southeast of Addis Ababa. Primary data were collected from producers (smallholder farmers) and traders via household survey, focus group discussions and key informant interviews as well as estimation of losses based on samples. Secondary data and information were collected from published and unpublished sources. Results:Results indicate that tomato production is being done by relatively young married individuals who have at least primary level education. About three-quarter of land holding is allocated for vegetable production, which largely takes place under irrigation during dry season. All sample producers sold more than 95% of their tomato produce, mostly to wholesalers as compared to collectors and retailers. Postharvest losses occur at collectors, wholesalers and retailers level. The finding indicates that more than 16% of respondents encounter produce losses due to high incidence of diseases, insect pest and mechanical injuries, each of them accounting for more than 20% of postharvest losses. Conclusions:The findings from our study underscore that the ability of actors to mitigate postharvest losses is limited due to lack of technical know-how. They also lack necessary support and complementary resources to improve postharvest handling practices and technology.