Title

Morphological Characterization of
Tef Varieties in Ethiopia

Tesfaye Geleta
DZARC
Jan. 2014
 Introduction
 A given variety should be clearly distinguishable from all other
existing varieties in a seed program

 Otherwise, it will be very difficult to maintain the identity of varieties

throughout the cycles of multiplication required to produce certified
seed.

 Varietal development and its identification is one of the most

important aspects of seed industry and seed trade.

 Due to continuous breeding programme, it has become difficult to

identify and characterize most of the commercialized varieties.
 Introduction continued…..
 One of the most important field standards in seed production is
rouging of other varieties, off types and diseased plants from seed
production field

 These are the main source of genetic, physiological, physical and

seed health quality deterioration of seed crops.

 To perform this activity the seed growers should have to know and
familiar with the morphological variations among seed crop varieties.
 Objective

To determine morphological characteristics of

released tef varieties in Ethiopia
 Materials and Methods

 The field experiment will be carried out at Debre Zeit

Agricultural Research Center in 2014/2015 main cropping
season.

 33 improved tef varieties which have been released and

commercialized by Ethiopian Agricultural Research Centers will
be used for this experiment.

 200 heads of each test variety those were collected from breeder
seed maintenance plots will be sown

 Each variety will be planted on 2m x 1m plot area and laid down

in RCBD with three replications
 Materials and Methods continued….
 There will be 10 rows in each plot; the whole plants within each plot will be
used for data collection.

 The inter row spacing will be 20 cm; whereas distance between plots and
blocks will be 50 cm and 1.5m, respectively.

 Based on International Union for the protection of new varieties of plants

(UPOV) morphological characterization of crop varieties guideline

 Also local guidelines for tef crop characterization will be used to

differentiate the test varieties.

 Pictures of each morphological character of the test variety will be taken

and documented for catalog preparation.
 Materials and Methods continued…

Data to be Collected
All morphological characters which are important to
describe the test variety will be recorded

color photographs will be taken for each character of

a variety.
 Materials and Methods continued….
Data analysis

 The field data will be used to compare each test variety

 The varieties will be characterized based on the specific character

obtained

Location – Debere Zeit

Duration: One year (2006/07)

Materials and Methods continued….

Expected output: Released and commercialized tef

varieties will be morphologically characterized and
descriptor developed

Budget required: 35, 000 Birr

Responsible persons: Tesfaye Geleta, tef staff and

Nugusu Bekele
Thank you