Yield and Agronomic Performance of Food Barley Varieties in Southern Ethiopia Highlands

Background and Objective: Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the major cereal crops grown in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to select and recommend the best adapted and high-yielding late-maturing food barley varieties for the Sidama and Gedeo Zones of Southern Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: Fourteen late maturing food barley varieties and the local check were laid out in RCBD with three replications at three Research Sub Centers at Bule in 2013 and 2014 whereas at Gedeb and Abera Gelede in 2014 only. Results: Mean grain yield across locations indicated that six varieties were significantly yielded the local check viz variety HB 1307, Cross 41/98, HB 42, EH 1493, Dimtu and Ardu 1260B which gave 6273.1, 5690.8, 5540.6, 5181, 5067.9 and 5047.3 kg ha‾¹, respectively. These high-yielding varieties gave a yield advantage of 39.07, 26.16, 22.92, 14.86, 12.35 and 11.90%, respectively compared to the local check. Conclusion: High-yielding and widely adaptable varieties across locations would be popularized and scaled up for production in the tested areas and similar agro-ecologies of Southern Ethiopia’s highlands. For specific adaptation, those varieties can be recommended for production in their niche where they are best-suited areas.