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AbstractIntercropping of cereals and legumes is common in Ethiopia. However, intercropping of lupine with tef is a new practice in Northwestern Ethiopia’s tef-based cropping system. In the 2016 and 2017 main cropping seasons, a field experiment was conducted in Gozamin District, East Gojjam Zone, to assess the effect of plant density of lupine intercropping with tef on the productivity of tef fields. The two experimental factors were two inter-row spacings (20 and 40 cm) and three intra-row spacings (10, 15, and 20 cm) of lupine intercropped with tef, and their factorial combination was studied using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The highest tef grain yield (1.80 t ha−1) was recorded from 40 and 20 cm inter- and intra-row spacing of lupine intercropped with tef, respectively. The highest lupine yield (2.74 t ha−1) was recorded from sole cropping. A total of 40 and 15 cm inter- and intra-row spacing of lupine intercropped with tef improved tef equivalent yield (2.32 t ha−1), area time equivalent ratio (1.09), actual yield loss (0.87), monetary advantage index (396.2 USD), net benefit (2479.5 USD ha−1), and marginal rate of return (MRR) (682%). Among all planting densities, 40 and 15 cm inter- and intra-row spacing of lupine were the most profitable and had the highest yield advantage based on equivalent yield and other economic benefits. To maximize the productivity of tef fields, 40 cm of inter- and 15 cm of intra-row spacing of lupine intercropping with tef was recommended.

Striga hermonthica is a major biotic threat to worldwide food security, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Sorghum production in North Gondar is challenged by the parasitic weed causing low crop yields. One of the options widely practiced is intercropping with legumes and variation in sowing dates of the intercropped crop species. A field experiment was conducted at two locations; Metema and Sanja at Gondar Agricultural Research Centers in the 2017/18 cropping season. Three sowing dates of soybean (2 weeks and 1 week before sowing and at a sorghum plantation) to control Striga. The study laid in a randomized complete block design with three replications in a factorial combination, two sorghum varieties; improved (Berhan) and a local variety commonly grown in the area and soybean “Afgat” varieties were used. A highly significant difference between Striga count (SC) and dry matter, grain yield (GY), above-ground biomass, and thousand seed weight (TSW) were the main effects and their interactions. SC, GY, and TSW were significant at Metema and combined over locations, but only GY at Sanja. Highest grain yield, biomass, thousand seed weight and lowest Striga counts was obtained in resistant variety at 2 weeks soybean sown before sorghum and, highest Striga was recorded in susceptible variety where soybean was sown at the same date with sorghum. Economic analysis results showed the highest and lowest net returns of 32,048.50 and 8,660 ETB per hectare from 2 weeks before with resistant sorghum and the same date with susceptible sorghum, respectively. Therefore, in the study area, the “Berhan” variety at 2 weeks before sorghum sowing is recommended for profitable sorghum production and Striga management.

Onion is an important vegetable product for food security and income generation to a large proportion of the rural household of Ethiopia. Enhancing onion farmers to reach markets and actively engage in the markets as a key challenges influencing onion production in Ethiopia. The perishability nature of onion necessitates an effective marketing channel choice decision. So the objective of this study was the analysis of factors affecting market outlet choice decision of farmers. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select the sample kebeles and households, whereby 275 farm household using a stratified random sampling method for this study. Both primary and secondary data were collected to address the objectives. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an econometric model by using SPPS and STATA software. Multivariate probit model was used to analyze factors affecting market outlet choices of smallholder onion producers. Multivariate probit model result showed that the probability of choose wholesales, retailer, rural collectors, and consumers market outlet was significantly affected by post-harvest value addition, amount of onion production, land size allocated for onion production, ownership of motor pump, educational status of the household head and the total livestock owned. Based on the finding the government and the concerned stakeholders should focus on promoting the dissemination of improved onion varieties and input of production, intensification of land for onion, expanding of post-harvest value addition activities, strengthening of the existence of formal and informal education and promote and encourage onion farmers on investment onion production.

The study was initiated to explore genetic advance and rate of genetic progress over years of bread wheat genotypes in Ethiopia. Twelve bread wheat genotypes released in between 1995 and 2012 were used as experimental treatments. The experimental treatments were laid out on randomized complete block design with three replications across locations over 2 years. The study was conducted at Adet, Debretabor, Finoteselam, Injibara and Simada in 2014 and 2015 cropping seasons. The combined analysis of variance of genotypes, environments and their interactions showed significant difference (P

Fruit and Vegetables are growing both rain fed and irrigation in Ethiopia and important for food security and income generation to a large proportion of the rural household. Enhancing onion farmers to reach markets and actively engage in the markets key challenges influencing onion production in Ethiopia. So the study aimed to analyze determinates of onion market supply. The study specifically aimed to address determinates that affecting onion production and market supply of rural households. A total of 275 households were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique followed by a probability proportional to sample size. The result indicated that in the study area 79.27% of onions producing households were male-headed whereas, the remaining 20.73% were female-headed household heads. On the other hand model results show that sex, age, household size, land size, motor pump, marketing contract, post-harvest value addition and market information positively and significantly affected the volume of onion supplied to the market. The findings imply that policymakers as well as policies designed at national level should consider on promoting the market contract, dissemination of improved onion varieties and input of production, intensification of land, expanding of post-harvest value addition activities and expanding the existence of irrigating equipments.

Potentials of pragmatic crop rotation practices and organic matter applications for restoration of soil health and productivity of degraded highland crop fields were studied for three rotation phases from 2013 to 2015 in northwest Ethiopia. Factorial combinations of five crop rotations (R1+ = bread wheat–clover–potato, R2+ = clover–bread wheat undersowing lupine–potato, R3+ = potato–clover–bread wheat, R4+ = bread wheat undersowing lupine–potato undersowing lupine–bread wheat, and R5+ = lupine–potato undersowing lupine–bread wheat) and four manure application rates [M1 = control/0tha−1 manure, M2 = 2.5 tha−1 sesbania green manure (SGM), M3 = 5 tha−1 fresh cattle manure (FCM), and M4 = 2.5 tha−1 SGM + 5 tha−1 FCM] were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Plus sign (+) with crop rotation indicated that crop residues and green manure of legumes at 50% flowering were incorporated into the soil. The results showed that soil properties and productivity of crops were markedly improved with three-year interventions of crop rotation and manure application. As compared to that of the initial before starting the experiment, soil bulk density, pH, CEC, and contents of organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, and exchangeable potassium were improved on average by about 23%, 18%, 67%, 89%, 150%, 89%, and 44%, respectively, with R1+M4 treatment combination in three-year period. Similarly, compared to that of 2013, productivity of bread wheat and potato increased on average by about 446% and 540% in 2015 with R3M4 and R1M4, respectively.

Teff is the most strategic cereal crop grown from high rainfall to drought prone areas of Ethiopia, where it covers nearly 30% of the land allotted for cereals. However, its productivity remains very low due to lack of knowledge and research interventions. To investigate the grain yield potential, estimate the genetic parameters, and the diversity, a pot experiment with intensive management and a field experiment with conventional management at two contrasting locations for two seasons using the same 317 genotypes and additional 3 improved cultivars in the field experiment were carried out. The results showed highly significant variation among the genotypes for grain yield, biomass, harvest index, and phenological traits under both experiments. The best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP)-adjusted grain yield performance of the genotypes ranged from 4.2 to 8.8 g/plant in the intensive management and 1.8 to 4.3 g/plant in the field growing condition with conventional management. Coefficient of genetic variation, heritability, and expected genetic advance for grain yield were the highest in both experiments. Among the phenological traits, the grain filling period in the intensive growing condition exceptionally showed the highest genetic coefficient of variation and genetic advance. The high grain yield performance and wider range of the harvest index observed under the intensive management condition with moderate to high heritability signifies the genetic potential of teff for further improvement through trait recombination.

Susceptibility to lodging is a major constraint on teff production in Ethiopia, but efforts to develop lodging-resistant cultivars have not been successful. We studied the mechanical properties of teff culms and associated agro-morphological traits in field experiments with 320 teff accessions at two sites in northwestern Ethiopia during the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons. The results showed significant variability in both mechanical properties and agro-morphological traits among accessions. Traits contributing to lodging resistance, such as internode diameter, pushing resistance, and base failure moment, were significantly positively correlated with each other and with plant height. Similarly, the correlation of those traits with lodging index was significant and positive. In contrast, tiller number showed a significant negative correlation with lodging index. The peduncle–panicle length, which generally accounted for 59% of the plant height, should be a target when breeding for semi-dwarfism. Root system development, which reached a depth of more than 1 m in tall and 57 cm in dwarf teff accessions, signifies the presence of genetic variabilities for future root lodging studies in teff, and it may also explain why teff performs well in drought-prone areas of Ethiopia. Breeding programs for lodging resistance might focus on accessions with good standing ability (high base failure moment) and introgression of stem strength with a semi-dwarf phenotype. Alternatively, selection for a large internode diameter, increased pushing resistance and base failure moment, and a reduced tiller number should be considered.

A field experiment was conducted for 2 years during the main cropping seasons of 2017 and 2018 in Fogera Plain to study the productivity response of lowland rice varieties to different sources of nitrogen fertilizer. The experiment was conducted using a factorial arrangement of three sources of N fertilizer (conventional urea, slow-release urea and urea supergranule) and three varieties of rain-fed lowland rice (Hiber, Ediget and X-jigna) laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The recommended rate of 69 kg N ha–1 was used for all three sources of nitrogen fertilizer. Results showed that highest soil-plant analysis development value, leaf area index (LAI), thousand-grain weight, biomass and grain yields of rice were recorded with the interaction of urea supergranule N fertilizer application and Hiber rice variety, while the lowest values of the parameters were recorded with the interaction of conventional urea application and X-jigna rice variety. Rain-fed lowland rice grain yield of 4.6 ton ha–1 was obtained from the interaction of urea supergranule and Hiber rice variety. Economic evaluation results showed also that the highest net return of 58,947.50 Ethiopian Birr ha–1 was estimated from the combination of urea supergranule and Hiber rice variety. According to the present results, the interactions of urea supergranule N fertilizer with Hiber and Ediget rice varieties were found as the first and the second outsmarted combinations that would be used further for exploiting more grain yield and net benefits of rain-fed lowland rice without yield penalty in Fogera Plain, northwest Ethiopia.

Vegetables are important for income generation to a large proportion of the rural households. Enhancing tomato farmers to reach markets and actively engage in the markets is a key challenge influencing tomato production in Ethiopia. The perishable nature of tomato necessitates effective marketing channels choice decisions. So, the main objective of this study was analyzing the determinants of market outlet choice decisions of tomato producers. The two-stage random sampling procedure was used to select the sampled kebeles and households, whereby 235 farm households were surveyed for the study. Both primary and secondary data were collected to address the objectives. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an econometric model by using SPSS and STATA software. Multivariate probit Model results showed that the probability to choose wholesalers, collectors, retailers, and consumers market outlets were significantly affected by age of the household head, educational status of the household head, distance to the nearest market, access to credit, owning transport facility, land allocated to tomato and household size. Policy implications drawn from the study findings include that the government and concerned stakeholders should focus on strengthening rural-urban infrastructure, intensification of land for tomato, expanding the accessibility of credit and strengthening the existence of formal and informal education.

Sustainable intensification of agriculture is a means of reducing the demand for increased land resources. A field experiment was conducted at two major finer millet producing areas of northwestern Ethiopia from 2017 to 2018 cropping seasons with the objective of assessing land use efficiency, profitability, and productivity of finger milt in finger millet-legume additive design intercropping. Factorial combinations of two legume crops (haricot bean and lupine) intercropped with finger millet, two planting methods (row and mixed) and three finger millet-legume planting ratios (100%:75%, 100%:50% and 100%:25% of the recommended seed rate of sole crops) were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Two sole crop finger millets (planted in rows and broadcast) and two sole crop legumes (haricot bean and lupine) were included for comparison purposes. Results revealed that the primary objective of maintaining the “full” grain yield of finger millet in an intercropping was achieved in finger millet-haricot bean row intercropping at 100:25 (2.68 tone ha-1) and100:50 (2.72 tone ha-1) planting ratios. Average over the three scenarios, the latter cropping system (65%) and finger millet haricot bean intercropping at 100:75 planting ratio (56%) gave significantly higher yield advantage over sole cropping of finger millet and haricot bean separately. Maximum marginal rate of return was observed in finger millet-lupine mixed intercropping (1281%) and finger millet-haricot bean row intercropping (1175%). Thus, it could be concluded that the latter cropping system could be used for improving household food security to smallholder farmers by increasing the productivity of finger millet, land use efficiency, and profitability.

Teff is the only cultivated cereal crop from the genus Eragrostis and it is the major staple food of Ethiopians. In Ethiopia, the quality of teff and its market price are primarily determined by its grain color. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil physicochemical characteristics across multiple locations in the two main teff growing regions of Amhara and Oromia states in Ethiopia on teff grain color and nutritional quality of a single variety. Grain and soil samples were collected from 24 field sites cultivated with the popular teff variety ‘Quncho’ (DZ-Cr-387/RIL-355). The teff grain samples collected from the 24 locations were evaluated for grain color, proximate composition, amino acid composition, and grain mineral concentration and the soil samples were analyzed for their physicochemical properties. Sample location means were considered different p < 0.05. Teff grain color indices of hue (H), saturation (S), and brightness (V), grain proximate composition, amino acid composition, and mineral concentration differed among locations (p < 0.05). There were significant negative correlations between grain S color value and soil pH, SOC, Ca, Mg, S, and Na. Soils with greater pH, SOC, Ca, Mg, and S generally had lower S values and thus, whiter color teff grains. There were considerable variations in the measured parameters for soil and teff grain physicochemical properties. The results indicated an opportunity for management interventions necessary to obtain uniformity in grain color and chemical composition for the same variety of teff grown in the two major regions in Ethiopia.

Tropical highland environments present substantial challenges for climate projections due to sparse observations, significant local heterogeneity and inconsistent performance of global climate models (GCMs). Moreover, these areas are often densely populated, with agriculture‐based livelihoods sensitive to transient climate extremes not always included in available climate projections. In this context, we present an analysis of observed and projected trends in temperature and precipitation extremes across agroecosystems (AESs) in the northwest Ethiopian Highlands, to provide more relevant information for adaptation. Limited observational networks are supplemented with a satellite‐station hybrid product, and trends are calculated locally and summarized at the adaptation‐relevant unit of the AES. Projections are then presented from GCM realizations with divergent climate projections, and results are interpreted in the context of agricultural climate sensitivities. Trends in temperature extremes (1981–2016) are typically consistent across sites and AES, but with different implications for agricultural activities in the other AES. Trends in temperature extremes from GCM projected data also generally have the same sign as the observed trends. For precipitation extremes, there is greater site‐to‐site variability. Summarized by AES, however, there is a clear tendency towards reduced precipitation, associated with decreases in wet extremes and a tendency towards temporally clustered wet and dry days. Over the retrospective analysis period, neither of the two analysed GCMs captures these trends. Future projections from both GCMs include significant wetting and an increase in precipitation extremes across AES. However, given the lack of agreement between GCMs and observations with respect to trends in recent decades, the reliability of these projections is questionable. The present study is consistent with the "East Africa Paradox" that observations show drying in summer season rainfall while GCMs project wetting. This has an expression in summertime Ethiopian rain that has not received significant attention in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]