Participatory Variety Selection and Promotion of Improved Tef Varieties in Vertisol Areas of North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia

The production and productivity of tef in vertisol areas of North Shewa Zone is constrained by wider use of local cultivars which are low yielder and susceptible to lodging. The objective of the study was to select and promote high yielder and farmers preferred improved varieties. Ten improved varieties with the standard (Dega tef) and local (Bunign) checks were evaluated as mother trial at Deneba station in 2017using RCBD design in three replications. The top four selected varieties were evaluated as baby trial together with the checks on three farmers field during 2018 in simple plot design. Phonological and agronomic data were collected both from mother and baby trials. Farmers invited to evaluate varieties both in mother and baby trials. Panicle length, panicle uniformity, lodging tolerance, tillering capacity, seed boldness, disease tolerance and adaptability criteria used by farmers for mother trial selection, while panicle length, stalk strength, plant height, tillering capacity and panicle uniformity used for baby trial. After the selection process, starting from 2019 to 2021 scaling up activities also conducted at Siyadebr kebel. The analysis of variance showed highly significant (p<0.01) differences for days to heading, days to maturity and shoot biomass yield ranging from 63 to 72; 134 to 139 and 5347 to 7932 kg ha-1respectively, and significant (p< 0.05) difference for grain yield with lowest and highest scores of 1824 and 2409 kg ha-1. Variety Dima followed by variety Zobel were ranked by farmers as first and second, respectively both in mother and baby trials. Among the tested varieties Dima gave highest yield (2409 kg ha-1), and showed best lodging tolerant trait. As a result, variety Dima has been recommended.