Genetic Variation for Grain Yield and Yield Related Traits in Tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.)Trotter] under Moisture Stress and Non-Stress Environments

Abstract

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.)Trotter] is an ancient and major cereal crop in Ethiopia. Increasing tef grain yield partly requires developing cultivars that are adapted to drought stress environment. An experiment was carried out using 18 tef genotypes grown during September to December, 2010, under two water supply environments (stress during grain filling period, and non-stress) to identify genetic variation, heritability and correlations of grain yield and yield related traits. Broad-sense heritability values under respective stress and non-stress environments were grain yield (g/m2) 0.80 and 0.89, total biomass (g/m2) 0.89 and 0.73, harvest index 0.69 and 0.79, panicle weight (g/plant) 0.93 and 0.92, and seed weight (g/plant) 0.96 and 0.86. The correlations of grain yield under respective stress and non-stress environments were total biomass rp = 0.64, rg = 0.70, and rp = 0.48, rg = 0.56, harvest index rp = 0.70, rg = 0.64, and rp = 0.87, rg = 0.90, panicle weight rp = 0.98, rg = 1.00, and rp = 0.96, rg = 1.00, and seed weight/plant rp = 0.98, rg = 1.00, and rp = 0.90, rg = 1.00. The present experiment showed that either grain yield per se, or seed weight/plant could be used to improve grain yield under stress and non-stress environments.