Genetic Variability in Barley (Hordeum vulgare (L.)) Landrace Collections from Southern Ethiopia

Landraces are the major genetic resources of cultivated barley in Ethiopia. Two hundred seven accession and 18 released varieties were laid out in 15by15 simple lattice design and were planted in 2008 main cropping season at Kokate. The objectives of the study were to conduct the morphological characterization and to determine the nature and degree of variability in morpho- agronomic traits of the barley landrace collections from southern Ethiopia. A plot size of two rows each 2.5m long and spaced 0.2m apart was used. Analysis of variance showed highly significant differences among the tested genotypes for all traits considered in the study, indicating the presence of genetic variability in the traits and a wide range was observed in the morpho-agronomic traits. Grain yield varied between 436 and 375.5 kg/ ha, plant height from 44.95 to 94.1 cm, days to maturity between 92 and 131, and days to heading between 57 and 94. Twelve genotypes out yielded the best released variety, Dafo. These can be released as new varieties or can be used in crosses for further breeding work. Phenotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 8.77 for days to maturity to 63.49 for susceptibility to lodging, while genotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 7.98 to 60.03, for the same traits. High heritability and high genetic advance as the percent of the mean were observed for susceptibility to lodging, flag leaf width, spikelets per spike and grain yield per plant. Relatively rapid progress can be achieved in these traits through selection. The clustering of genotypes based on 10 quantitative traits revealed existence of divergence among genotypes. Ten distinct clusters of different sizes were formed.