Selection and evaluation of potential wheat cultivars for double-cropping under irrigation in Awash Valley, Ethiopia. Straw yield and quality as affected by duration of growing period

Abstract

Agronomic traits which contribute to the straw yield and quality of wheat were studied in a replicated yield test for three seasons using 14 selected cultivars at Melka Werrer, Ethiopia. Results showed that the life cycle of wheat in the Awash Valley is short, with overall means of 53 days to head, 83 days to physiological maturity and 30 days for grain filling. Late cultivars needed more days to head (up to 69) and gave higher straw yields (about 7 t ha-1) with higher leaf percentage (up to 51 %) and up to 4.5% protein in the leaf-straw. The over-years and cultivar mean straw yield of 6.3 t ha-1, constituting 43.9% palatable leaf-straw with protein content of 3. 7%, could mean much in view of the large number of animals facing shortage of feed in the Awash Valley during part of each year.