Multivariate diversity, heritability and genetic advance in <em>Tef</em> Landraces in Ethiopia

Abstract

Characterisation of exiting genetic variability is a prerequisite for further crop improvement activity. This study was designed to assess genetic variability among randomly selected Eragrostis tef, Zucc.Trotter (Tef) genotypes from five administrative zones in the Amhara region in Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted in 2010 main cropping season at Adet Agricultural Research Center. All traits, except first inter-node length showed highly significant differences among the 37 lines. Number of productive tillers per plant, grain yield per plant, and biomass yield per plant showed high phenotypic coefficients of variation; 18.9, 17.5 and 16.9% in that order. Harvest index (15.1%) showed the highest genotypic coefficient of variation while the lowest (3.5%) was for days to maturity. Heritability in broad sense was highest for days to heading (80.7%), followed by culm length (72.4%). Grain yield and shoot biomass yield showed heritability values of 54.6 and 57.3%, and GAM values of 18.9 and 20.6%, respectively. The first three principal components (PCs) with eigenvalues greater than one explained 75% of the observed variation. Four PCs were effective in explaining 93% of the variation among zones. Cluster analysis grouped the 37 lines into five real clusters, while zones of collection were grouped into three major clusters. These data are useful for future tef breeding/crop improvement programmes and undertakings.