Garlic (Allium sativm L.) is the most widely used crop among cultivated Allium species in Ethiopia andit has a wide range of climatic and soil adaptation. Production of the crop is confronted with a number of problems and the total production and productivity in the country is low. Among many contributing factors, lack of improved varieties and garlic rust are the major ones. In view of this, an experiment was carried out to screening garlic germplasm for yield and diseases tolerance at Debre Markos University College of Agriculture and Natural Resource research field during 2013/14-2016/2017. The experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. The result of the study showed high heritability together with high and medium genetic advance for days to physiological maturity, bulb weight, clove number, clove weight and total bulb yield between germplasms and significant variation among the germplasms tested with regard to plant height (cm), leaf length, (cm), maturity date, leaf number, bulb weight (g), clove number, clove weight (g), bulb diameter (cm) and total bulb yield (kg/ha). Different germplasms resulted in better performance with respect to recorded parameters. Germplasms 5 and 18 were found to be superior followed by germplasms 13 and 38. In addition, they recorded maximum plant height, leaf length, bulb weight, clove weight, bulb diameter, total yield, shorter maturity date and moderately susceptibility to rust. The result generally indicated that germplasms G5 (7640 kg), G18 (6929 kg), G38 (4626 kg) and G13 (4601 kg) are promising germplasm in the study area. It will be good to repeat the experiment at multi locations for National Variety Trail test.

Two field experiments were conducted in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia in the hot and cool dry seasons of 2016/2017 with the objective to develop an insecticide resistance management program on thrips infesting onion. The first experiment dealt with the evaluation of four different insecticides namely profenofos, λ-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, and spinetoram in different sequences on thrips population and their effect on yield. The second experiment examined the effect of admixing the surfactant organosilicone with imidacloprid, spinetoram and dimethoate. A Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications was used for both experiments. Data on number of thrips, bulb yield and economic returns were collected. The insecticide imidacloprid and spinetoram resulted in fewer numbers of thrips and higher yields than profenofos and λ-cyhalothrin. Application of the more effective insecticides when the thrips population was high followed by less effective insecticides resulted in better control and higher economic return. Surfactant added insecticides gave a fewer numbers of thrips and higher yields than the corresponding insecticides applied without surfactant. The sequential application of spinetoram and imidacloprid with less effective λ-cyhalothrin and profenofos by mixing with adjuvant are recommended for thrips control as an integral component of thrips management in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia.

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