Leveraging Traditional Crops for Food and Feed: A Case of Hulless Barley (Hordeum Vulgare) Landraces in Ethiopia

Abstract

This study explored food-feed traits in genotypes of 25 indigenous Ethiopian landraces, 13 landraces introduced into Ethiopia and 5 local checks of hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare). The genotypes were evaluated for straw fodder quality traits and the traits were related to grain yield and straw yield. The genotypes were grown in Ethiopia during the 2016 cropping season using augmented design consisting of 5 complete blocks. Results of the study showed high genotypic variability in grain yield (5.1 t/ha), straw yield (7.03 t/ha) and straw content of crude protein (CP: 29.1 g/kg), neutral detergent fiber (NDF: 77 g/kg), acid detergent fiber (ADF: 41 g/kg), acid detergent lignin (ADL: 22.7 g/kg) and invitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD: 72 g/kg). Further, cluster analysis determined 6 genotypes i.e. 243231, 241790, 219177, 243235, 241787, 241789 among Ethiopian landraces that showed food-feed traits with an average of 3.44 t/ha of grain, 5.64 t/ha of straw and 55.9 g/kg of CP. The correlation between grain yield with straw yield and nutritive value parameters was insignificant. Principle component analysis determined that either CP, NDF or IVOMD can express the nutritive value of hulless barley straw. The study highlights the natural genotypic variation in grain yield and straw traits in hulless barley that can be exploited using appropriate breeding methods to develop varieties with a combination of food traits for human food and feed traits for livestock feed. These varieties would be particularly beneficial for mixed crop-livestock systems that are predominant in developing countries.

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

“…Our study evaluated both grain and straw quality and added HB1963 and Traveller in addition to IBON 174/03. Large variation in food and malt barley cultivars has been demonstrated in several studies (Pearce et al, 1988;Reed and Yilma, 1986;Wamatu et al, 2019). Our study walks the same trail but also adds the insight that not only grain quality but also straw quality showed an interesting range for selection.…”

“…All grain and straw samples were analysed for crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), metabolizable energy (ME) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) using a combination of wet chemistry analyses and Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS); Instrument FOSS 5000 Forage Analyzer with WINISI II software package in the 1108-2492 nm spectra range). A good-offitness barley NIRS equation (Wamatu et al, 2019) was used for the prediction of dry matter (DM), nitrogen, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and in vitro digestibility (IVOMD). Validation of the NIRS equation was undertaken by analyzing 20% of representative samples using conventional wet chemistry.…”

Effect of dietary supplemented cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) hay as replacement of concentrate on performance and economic efficiency of Abergelle goats

“…In Ethiopia feeding of ruminant depend on crop residues and poor quality hay. As a result, the digestibility and intake of these feeds are low which results in poor performance (Mekuriaw and Asmare, 2018;Wamatu et al, 2019). Despite the potential economic benefits, cereal grain and concentrate supplementation to low-quality feeds is unaffordable by smallholder farmers in addition to scarcity and its use as human food.…”

Effect of Barley Variety on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Body Weight Gain and Carcass Characteristics in Fattening Lambs

“…Varietal differences in the chemical composition and feeding value of crop residues have been reported in wheat, rice, sorghum and maize [11]. The authors of [12] showed the high genotypic variability in grain yield, straw yield and the nutrient composition of straw in naked barley landraces. The authors of [6,[13][14][15] found a varietal variation in the intake and nutrient digestibility of barley straw when it was fed to sheep.…”