by AxARC, Posted on 0000-00-00 , Category : News
Aksum Agricultural Research Center (AxARC), one of the 12 research centers under Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) has nationally released one teff variety (Mytuom) and one chickpea variety (Hatsebo). The two new crop varieties have been released by the cereal and pulses crops research teams of the center. The evaluation trials of both crops had been conducting for subsequent years till the 2020/2021 cropping season with the financial support of Agricultural Growth Program (AGP-II). However, due to the outbreak of the war in Tigray the trials were interrupted for about two years. Following, restoration of relative peace in the region, the remained activities of the evaluation trials had been continued in 2023/24 production season with the financial support of FSRP. The candidate varieties were Dz-cr-458 (RIL-99) for teff and Dz-2012-CK-2011S-30043 for chickpea. The candidate varieties of both crops had been carried out in multi-locations.
Among others, tolerance to moisture stress and early maturity (83 days) are the most promising attributes of the newly released teff variety, Mytuom. In addition, the new variety is white in color and with an average yield of 23 kg/ha it has a yield advantage of 11-18% over the standard check known as Boset. With a plant height of 101cm, it is resistance to lodging. Similarly, the new Chickpea variety (Hatsebo) is early to mature (96 days), large seeded and high yielder (27 Qui/ha). Hatsebo variety has a yield advantage of 14% compared to the standard checks (Dalota and Teketay) and 37% over the local varieties. It has also better performance in terms of disease and pest resistance and has been highly accepted by farmers. Thanks, to the unreserved efforts of AxARC researchers and FSRP project for its financial support, the varieties have now been nationally released. These make the number of crop varieties released by AxARC to be three.
TARI takes this opportunity to congratulate all researchers and support staff of AxARC, AGP-II (FSRP) for its continued financial support, district and kebelle level agricultural experts and farmers of the respective testing locations, management of TARI and all other stakeholders who contributed to make this happened.
Management of TARI,
April, 2024, Mekelle