Registration of the Oat (Avena sativa) Variety "Walqaa" for Vertisols in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

  • Gezahagn Kebede Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P. O. Box 31, Holetta, Ethiopia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8518-769X
  • Fekede Feyissa Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, P. O. Box 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • Kedir Mohammed Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P. O. Box 31, Holetta, Ethiopia
  • Mezgeb Workiye Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, P. O. Box 489, Asella, Ethiopia
  • Mesfin Dejene Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P. O. Box 31, Holetta, Ethiopia
  • Diriba Geleti Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, P. O. Box 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59122/14438nb

Abstract

In this study, fifteen oat varieties including the standard checks were evaluated for agro-morphological traits,
nutritional qualities, disease, and insect pest reactions during the main cropping seasons of 2015- 2018. Based on the
overall performance, two best-performing oat varieties (CI-1742 and SRCPX80Ab2596) were selected and verified
with the two standard checks at the Kuyu and Ginchi sub-site of Holetta Agricultural Research Center during the
main cropping season of 2018. The overall mean result indicated that the released variety, Walqaa
(SRCPX80Ab2596), showed the highest mean DM yield followed by the recent check (SRCPX80Ab2291) while the
check variety (CI-8251) which was released earlier and commonly used for vertisol gave the lowest DM yield.
Walqaa (SRCPX80Ab2596) had the highest percent increase in DM yield, CP yield, and digestible yield advantages
over the standard check variety (CI-8251) which was released earlier and commonly used for vertisol conditions.
Similarly, the Walqaa (SRCPX80Ab2596) had a relatively better percent increase in DM yield, CP yield, and
digestible yield advantages over the recently released variety (SRCPX80Ab2291). Moreover, the Walqaa
(SRCPX80Ab2596) had seeds yield advantage over the earlier released variety (CI-8251). The nutritional qualities
indicated that the candidate varieties had advantages over the standard check variety (CI-8251) in terms of the leaf
to-stem ratio, CP, and IVDMD contents. Generally, the Walqaa (SRCPX80Ab2596) had a relatively better leaf-to
stem ratio, CP, and IVDMD advantages over the standard check variety (CI-8251). The national variety releasing
committee evaluated the varieties at field conditions in October 2018. Based on their evaluation result, oat variety
Walqaa (SRCPX80Ab2596) was officially released in November 2019 for production in the high altitude areas and
similar agro-ecologies of the country. The pre-basic and basic seeds of the released variety Walqaa
(SRCPX80Ab2596) are maintained by the feeds and nutrition research program of Holetta Agricultural Research
Center.
Keywords: Oat, quality, variety release, variety verification, yield

Published
2024-02-15
Issue
Vol. 6 No. 2 (2023)
Section
Articles

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