Food-fodder performance of food and malt barley cultivars in Ethiopian highlands

Abstract

In Ethiopia, barley selection has focused on grain yield traits. Limited information is available on straw yield and its nutritive value. The aim of this study was to screen cultivars for grain and straw yield and nutritive value using forty cultivars of food and malt barley types at two locations in Ethiopia (Bekoji and Kofele) in 2018. Food-fodder quality traits investigated were crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and metabolizable energy (ME) of grain and straw. Location, cultivar and their interaction affected the performance in malt as well as food barley types. Wide cultivars differences were observed within food and malt types respectively: Grain CP