Performance Evaluation and Yield Stability Test of Released Food Barely (Hordeum Vulgare L.) Varieties in Highland Areas of Siltie and Gurage Zones

Abstract

Improved barley varieties under barley production were limited in study areas. Therefore, testing of food barley varieties including check over locations for their performance is of paramount important in identification of superior varieties for production. The experiments were conducted to identify high yielding and to determine the stability of the varieties, and specifically and widely adapted food barley varieties for the target areas. Combined analysis of variance showed highly significant (p<0.05) differences among the varieties in plant height, spike length and grain yield, indicating the existence of a genetic difference of barley varieties. The highest mean grain yield (3506.80 kg ha-1) was obtained from variety Adosha and Robera (3279.20 kg ha-1) but HB-1307 which was check variety gave the relatively lowest mean grain yield (2465 ha-1). Regarding Wricke’s (Wi 2), cultivar superiority measure (Pi) and CVi stability parameters, varieties Adosha and Tiret with lowest value were stable, showed wider adaptation and ranked best mean grain yield and were 1st and 4th, respectively; whereas HB-1307 and EH-1493 with higher value were unstable and shows specific adaptation. A large portion of the total sum of squares taken by genotype by environment interaction (GEI) (69.91%) shown there is vulnerability of grain yield to the influence of GEI. The highest yielding genotypes Robera and Adosha were winning over the environments; the existence of different winning genotypes in different environments confirmed the presence of crossover type of GEI. Therefore, the results suggested that the varieties Robera, Adosha and Cross-41/98 with other recommended management practices must be promoted to the study areas and similar agro ecologies.