Diversity in Qualitative and Quantitative Traits Reveals Huge Potential for the Improvement of an Orphan Crop Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]

Aims: To assess the extent and pattern of genetic diversity in major qualitative and quantitative traits of tef accessions based on collection altitudes, and administrative regions and zones.

Study Design: Randomized complete Block Design with three replications.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Debre Zeit and Holetta Research Centers in 2015 main cropping season.

Methodology: One hundred forty-four tef accessions collected from the Northern and Central Ethiopia were evaluated using five qualitative and seven quantitative traits. Microsoft Excel and Shannon-Weaver diversity index were used to determine the extent of genetic variations while cluster analysis based on the standardized data of various qualitative and quantitative traits was employed to group the accessions and collection altitudes, zones and regions.

Results: Yellowish white lemma, loose panicle, white seed, four internodes and green basal stalk were found to be the predominant phenotypic classes of the studied qualitative traits. The highest mean Shannon diversity was observed for panicle forms (0.396) followed by seed colour (0.370) while the lowest value was for basal stalk colour (0.083). Accessions from Oromia Regional State had the highest mean Shannon diversity and grain yield compared to the other two Regional States. Similarly, accessions from South Wello and West Shewa administrative zones had the highest mean Shannon diversity and highest grain yield, respectively. Besides, accessions from altitudes below 1500 m above sea level (a. s. l.) and from 2001 to 2500 m a. s. l. also had the highest mean diversity and highest mean grain yield, respectively. In cluster analysis, dendrogram constructed based on five qualitative and seven quantitative traits grouped the accessions, collection regions, zones and altitudes into six, two, four and three distinct clusters, respectively.

Conclusion: The present study generally revealed huge diversity among tef accessions collected from different regional states, administrative zones and altitudes which can be harnessed in future improvement of this understudied crop.