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Tef is the major staple food crop for Ethiopia which is cultivated by more than 6.7 million smallholder farmers. As an indigenous cereal, it is well adapted to diverse climatic and soil conditions; however, its productivity is very low mainly due to susceptibility to lodging. The objective of this study was to identify stable, high yielding and lodging tolerant tef genotypes for moisture stress areas of the country. A total of twenty genotypes including standard and local checks were tested. The field experiment was conducted using a 2m x 2m area with a completely randomized block design at six locations (Debre Zeit, Minjar, Alemtena, Melkassa, Sirinka and Axum) during the 2019 and 2020 main cropping seasons. Data were taken on plot and individual plant basis on eight pheno-agro-morphological characters including days to heading, days to maturity, grain filling period, plant height, panicle length, lodging index, above-ground shoot biomass and grain yield. The combined analysis of variance showed that the mean squares due to genotypes, locations and genotype interactions were highly significant (P

Tef [Eragrostis Tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is an indigenous and yet the principal cereal in Ethiopia in terms of acreage, production and cash crop value to the smallholder Ethiopian farmers. The crop is highly valued by both farmers and consumers because of its unique features that render it with a multitude of relative merits over the other cereals grown in the country with respect to both farming and utilization aspects. Although the crop has in recent years been gaining global popularity as “health and performance food”, the cultivation of Tef as a cereal grain crop for food in the world has still remained almost exclusively restricted mainly in Ethiopia and Eritrea, and in small quantities in South Africa, and very recently in the United States of America, the Netherlands, Spain and Israel. Consequently, the genetic improvement of the crop practically rests upon domestic efforts with little or no technical and financial support from international and other foreign research establishments and donors. Scientific Tef improvement research in Ethiopia started in the late 1950s, and history puts it that Tef breeding was first started in 1960 through collection of farmers’ varieties and selections (mass and pure-line) of desirable types from the germplasm in 1960 at the then Central Experiment Station now Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, of the then Imperial College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts (now Haramaya University). Over the years, several breeding approaches were used including induced mutation techniques, recombination through intra and inter-specific hybridization, participatory breeding and variety selection, in vitro cultures and other recent high throughput breeding and genomic techniques such as TILLING, molecular marker systems, and genome or gene editing via CRISPR/Cas9. In the Tef breeding program, various seemingly standard approaches and methods have been used by the researchers. Nevertheless, the methods are passed over from generations to generations of researchers simply by experience sharing and oral instructions along with learning of new researchers on the practical undertaking from their predecessors and/or even senior technical assistants. This “Tef Breeding Manual” is, therefore, primarily meant for filling this gap and providing a written document that can serve as a guideline for researchers engaged in Tef breeding. In its preparation, due attempts have been made to learn from and elucidate, as necessary, approaches adopted in the preparation of other similar crop breeding manuals such as that of wheat, sorghum and maize in Ethiopia. Last but not least, it should be emphasized that this manual is not static, but rather dynamic being subject to periodic amendments, additions and changes as the needs arise especially due to new developments in the art and science of crop breeding.

Indigenous crops also known as orphan crops are key contributors to food security, which is becoming increasingly vulnerable with the current trend of population growth and climate change. They have the major advantage that they fit well into the general socio-economic and ecological context of developing world agriculture. However, most indigenous crops did not benefit from the Green Revolution, which dramatically increased the yield of major crops such as wheat and rice. Here, we describe the Tef Improvement Project, which employs both conventional- and molecular-breeding techniques to improve tef—an orphan crop important to the food security in the Horn of Africa, a region of the world with recurring devastating famines. We have established an efficient pipeline to bring improved tef lines from the laboratory to the farmers of Ethiopia. Of critical importance to the long-term success of this project is the cooperation among participants in Ethiopia and Switzerland, including donors, policy makers, research institutions, and farmers. Together, European and African scientists have developed a pipeline using breeding and genomic tools to improve the orphan crop tef and bring new cultivars to the farmers in Ethiopia. We highlight a new variety, Tesfa, developed in this pipeline and possessing a novel and desirable combination of traits. Tesfa’s recent approval for release illustrates the success of the project and marks a milestone as it is the first variety (of many in the pipeline) to be released., Euphytica, 214 (2), ISSN:0014-2336, ISSN:1573-5060

Aims: To assess the extent and pattern of genetic diversity in major qualitative and quantitative traits of tef accessions based on collection altitudes, and administrative regions and zones. Study Design: Randomized complete Block Design with three replications. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Debre Zeit and Holetta Research Centers in 2015 main cropping season. Methodology: One hundred forty-four tef accessions collected from the Northern and Central Ethiopia were evaluated using five qualitative and seven quantitative traits. Microsoft Excel and Shannon-Weaver diversity index were used to determine the extent of genetic variations while cluster analysis based on the standardized data of various qualitative and quantitative traits was employed to group the accessions and collection altitudes, zones and regions. Results: Yellowish white lemma, loose panicle, white seed, four internodes and green basal stalk were found to be the predominant phenotypic classes of the studied qualitative traits. The highest mean Shannon diversity was observed for panicle forms (0.396) followed by seed colour (0.370) while the lowest value was for basal stalk colour (0.083). Accessions from Oromia Regional State had the highest mean Shannon diversity and grain yield compared to the other two Regional States. Similarly, accessions from South Wello and West Shewa administrative zones had the highest mean Shannon diversity and highest grain yield, respectively. Besides, accessions from altitudes below 1500 m above sea level (a. s. l.) and from 2001 to 2500 m a. s. l. also had the highest mean diversity and highest mean grain yield, respectively. In cluster analysis, dendrogram constructed based on five qualitative and seven quantitative traits grouped the accessions, collection regions, zones and altitudes into six, two, four and three distinct clusters, respectively. Conclusion: The present study generally revealed huge diversity among tef accessions collected from different regional states, administrative zones and altitudes which can be harnessed in future improvement of this understudied crop.

Tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is an indigenous Ethiopian cereal which helps provide healthy and nutritious diets for people and a palatable straw for livestock feed. This study was conducted to determine the variation in grain-straw yield and straw quality traits of 35 tef varieties and a local check grown in two locations for two years. Straw crude protein (CP), in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), metabolizable energy (ME) and the yields of grain (GY) and straw (STY) were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by variety, environment and their interactions. GY, CP, ME and IVOMD were significantly higher in the Debre Zeit site compared to Holetta and, except for GY, in 2016 compared to 2015. About 150% and 25% higher mean CP content was recorded in Debre Zeit than in Holetta, and in 2016 than 2015, respectively. Positive and significant (PMelko produced the highest grain-straw yield and best fodder quality traits. Based on the yields and qualities of both grain and straw, the production of Gimbichu , Quncho and Gola varieties conferred more than 40% economic advantage over the local check in the local markets. Our study generally identified varieties with high grain-straw yield and/or straw quality traits which provided economic advantages for tef production and an opportunity for future utilization in tef improvement programs.

Aims: To assess the magnitude of genotype by environment interaction; possible existence of different mega-environments; and discriminating ability and representativeness of the testing environments. Study Design: Randomized complete Block Design with three replications. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Debre Zeit, Holetta and Alem Tena for two years (2015 and 2016) and at Adet, Axum and Bako for one year (2015). Methodology: Thirty-five improved tef varieties were evaluated at nine environments. The G × E interaction were quantified using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and the genotype and genotype by environment (GGE) biplot models. Results: Combined analysis of variance revealed highly significant (P = 0.01) variations due to genotype, environment and genotype by environment interaction effects. AMMI analysis revealed 4.3%, 79.7% and 16% variation in grain yield due to genotypes, environments and G x E effects, respectively. G6 gave the highest mean grain yield (3.33 t/ha) over environments whereas G29 gave the lowest mean yield (2.49 t/ha). The GGE biplot grouped the nine testing environments and the 35 genotypes into four mega environments and seven genotypic groups. The four mega environments include: G-I (E1, E4 and E6); G-II (E2, E3, E7 and E8); G-III (E9), and G-IV (E5). E5, E6, E7 and E8 which had the longest vector were the most discriminating of all environments while, E1 and E4 which had the smallest angle with the average environmental axis were the most representative of all environments. Regarding genotypes, G6, G25, G34 and G16 were identified as the best yielding and relatively stable genotypes to increase tef productivity. Conclusion: AMMI and GGE were found to be efficient in grouping the tef growing environments and genotypes.

The national average yield of Tef is low at 1.75 t ha-1. This is partially due to lack of high yielding Tef genotypes for different Tef growing areas. Therefore, the present study was designed to develop high yielding, and desirable quality of improved Tef varieties suitable for high and optimum potential farming systems. Eight recombinant inbred lines (RILs) developed from a cross of DZ-01-353 x kaymurri plus two checks were laid out in a randomized complete block design using four replications in multi-environments for two years (2013 and 2014) to see the effect of genotypes, environments and GEI. ANOVA from additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) for grain yield revealed highly significant (p

Surveys were undertaken in six districts of southwestern Ethiopia from July to October 2003 to investigate farmers’ perceptions and management practices of insect pests on traditionally stored sorghum. The survey involved 138 randomly selected farmers who were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Storage insect pests were perceived as the major insect pests of sorghum. The majority of the farmers estimated sorghum yield losses of up to 50% due to insect damage during storage. High temperature and lack of storage hygiene were cited as the major factors resulting in insect infestation of stored sorghum. Infestations of stored sorghum insect pests were common on different forms of sorghum, which stored in various types of farm storage. Farmers classified sorghum varieties according to the level of resistance to stored sorghum insect pests. Only about 32% of the farmers had access to chemical insecticides for the control of stored sorghum insect pests, while the majority of them used cultural practices and locally available plant materials as storage protectants.

Background Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is the major cereal crop of Ethiopia where it is annually cultivated on more than three million hectares of land by over six million small-scale farmers. It is broadly grouped into white and brown-seeded type depending on grain color, although some intermediate color grains also exist. Earlier breeding experiments focused on white-seeded tef, and a number of improved varieties were released to the farming community. Thirty-six brown-seeded tef genotypes were evaluated using a 6 × 6 simple lattice design at three locations in the central highlands of Ethiopia to assess the productivity, heritability, and association among major pheno-morphic traits. Results The mean square due to genotypes, locations, and genotype by locations were significant (P