Registration of <i>Wama</i> Finger Millet (<i>Eleusine corocana</i> L.) Variety

Abstract

Finger millet is one of the major cereal crops in western Ethiopia including Bako areas where the present study conducted. Wama is a common name of a finger millet (Eleusine corocana L.) variety with pedigree name of KNE # 392. It was selected out of finger millet breeding lines introduced from Kenya and released in 2007 by the Bako Agricultural Research Center for western Ethiopia. Wama was tested at on-stations of Bako, Billo-Boshe and Gute and their respective on-farms. It exceeded the standard check, Boneya by 10% in grain yield. Results of yield stability study revealed that Wama was a stable variety. It has brown seed color, larger seed size and larger harvest index than Boneya. Wama is also moderately resistant to diseases such as head blast, smut and leaf spot. The breeder seed of Wama is maintained by the Bako Agricultural Research Center.