Participatory Evaluation of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Varieties for Yield and Yield Components in Wag-Lasta, Eastern Amhara, Ethiopia

Abstract

Currently Faba bean is out of production due to pest and diseases as well as shortage of high yielding and widely adapted varieties. Therefore, participatory variety selection was conducted at Lalibela, Hamusite and Dehana districts of Wag-Lasta on both Trial station and on farmer’s field, in 2016 main cropping season, to evaluate and select high yielder faba bean varieties involving farmers. Eight released faba bean varieties (Walki, Moti, CS-20DK, Obsie, Dosha, Tumsa, Gora, and Hachalu) including a local check were tested using Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications at on station of each trial site. The mother trial was done at trial stations, whereas the baby trials were done at three farmer’s field per districts. As ANOVA revealed that, Significant differences (p<0.01) were observed among varieties for plant height, pods per plant, seeds per pod, 100seeds weight and grain yield. Among the tested varieties, variety Dosha (2722.20kgha-1 & 2197.90kgha-1) was superior in grain yield at both Lalibela and Hamusite district respectively whereas, higher grain yield was recorded from Cs-20DK (2329.17kgha-1) & Tumsa (1927.08kgha-1) varieties at Dehana. The local variety was lower yielder (1143.66kgha-1) at Dehana. Dosha as preferred by farmers that scores higher mean value (59.83 & 45.67) at Lalibela and Hamusite respectively whereas least mean value was recorded from Local (24.50) variety. While the maximum score (55.8) was recorded on CS-20DK variety at Dehana. Therefore, based on farmers’ preference value and biological data, Dosha variety was selected for production in Lalibela and Hamusite districts while CS-20DK was selected for production in Dehana districts.