Assessment of on-farm diversity of wheat varieties and landraces: Evidence from farmers fields in Ethiopia

Abstract

Analysis of spatial diversity, temporal diversity and coefficient of parentage (COP) were carried out along with measurements of agronomic and morphological traits to explain on-farm diversity of modern varieties or landraces of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and Triticum durum L.) grown by farmers in Ethiopia. Farm level surveys showed low spatial diversity of wheat where only a few dominant varieties appeared to occupy a large proportion of wheat area. The five top wheat varieties were grown by 56% of the sample farmers and these varieties were planted on 80% of the total wheat area. The weighted average age of wheat varieties was high with an average of 13.8 years for bread wheat showing low temporal diversity or varietal replacement by farmers. The COP analysis showed that average and weighted diversity of bread wheat was 0.76 and 0.66, respectively variance component analysis showed significant variations for agronomic characters such as plant height, grain yield, and yield components (kernels spike-1 , thousand seed weight) among modern varieties and/or landraces. The principal component analysis explained better the variation among varieties and landraces. Cluster analysis based on agro-morphological traits grouped modern varieties and landraces into separate clusters. The present study describes the diversity of wheat crop available on the farm using different indicators. The variation among modern varieties and landraces offered opportunities for using genotypes with desired agronomic characters in plant breeding to develop varieties suitable for different agro-ecological zones in the country.

Effects of seed rate and inter row spacing on yield and yield components of food barley in Semen Ari Woreda, Ethiopia

“…This might be due to more free space between plants at the lower seed rates and less intra-plant competition for available resources that resulted in higher spike length. The current result is indirectly in agreement with the finding of Zewdie et al (2014) in that plant height and spike length are negatively interrelated. Another research finding by Gafaar (2007) stated that increasing sowing density from 200 up to 400 grains m -2 significantly decreased spike length.…”

“…The result showed that when seeding rate increased, the total biomass increased total biomass. Zewdie et al (2014) reported a positive association between biomass yield and plant height and thus taller plants resulted higher biomass yield. Similar with the present finding, Jemal et al (2015) also reported that higher biomass yield was recorded when seed rate increased from 200 and 175 kg ha -1 .…”

Genetic variability and diversity studies in Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) genotypes based on cluster analysis using agronomic and quality traits in Southern Ethiopia

“…Allotment pattern of all the genotypes into a range of various clusters showed the existence of large enough genetic divergence among the genotypes for the traits studied. This study illustrated the diversity of durum wheat among advanced breeding lines, released varieties and local cultivar and offered opportunities for using these genotypes for their desired traits in durum wheat breeding program to develop varieties for different agroecologies in Ethiopia Zewdie et al, 2014). Similar genetic divergent studies by cluster analysis are reported by different authors Ali et al (2008), Salem et al (2008), Das et al (2014) and Savii and Nadeala (2012).…”

Food Barley Land races Characterization in the Northwestern Highlands of Ethiopia

“…A study made on enset showed that the biggest uses of landraces are for kocho, bulla, amicho, fiber and medicine (Zerihun et al, 2016). A study made on wheat indicated a wide range of variations among landraces for the traits studied which help farmers with an opportunity to make a choice of genotypes that fit their purpose (Zewdie et al, 2014).…”