Performance Evaluation of Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] Varieties for Moisture Stress Areas of Simada, Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Tef is the major staple cereal crop in Ethiopia, mainly grown under rainfed condition. The major objective of this study was to evaluate and recommend the best performed tef varieties for the tef growers of moisture stress areas. Field experiment was conducted to select well adapted and high yielder tef varieties at Simada North western, Ethiopia during 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 main cropping season. The experiment was conducted by using 12 tef varieties through a randomized complete block design with three replications. The combined analysis of variance over years revealed a highly significant difference (p<0.01) among studied tef varieties for days to maturity, biomass yield, grain yield and harvest index and significant difference (p<0.05) for plant height. Infarct, the cultivation of improved tef varieties in moisture deficit areas is absolutely crucial for food security and income generation to the communities by enhanced tef production and productivity through using recommended varieties as compared to the farmers local varieties. So, the Two tef varieties, Mechere and Zoble provided as higher grain yield 1830kg/ha, 1824 kg/ha respectively at moisture stress area. Therefore, based on grain yield and other important traits, Mechere and Zoble varieties could be recommended for Simada district and similar moisture stressed agro ecologies.