Phenotypic characterization and seed viability test in ex-situ conserved Ethiopian cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces

Abstract Background Nowadays, most of the Ethiopian barley landraces had been lost from farmer’s field and exclusively found ex-situ conserved at the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI). Those ex-situ conserved are generally believed to be representative of the original population and possess hig...

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Main Authors: Fekadu Gadissa, Temesgen Bedassa Gudeta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-12-01
Series:BMC Plant Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-023-04628-7
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author Fekadu Gadissa
Temesgen Bedassa Gudeta
author_facet Fekadu Gadissa
Temesgen Bedassa Gudeta
author_sort Fekadu Gadissa
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Nowadays, most of the Ethiopian barley landraces had been lost from farmer’s field and exclusively found ex-situ conserved at the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI). Those ex-situ conserved are generally believed to be representative of the original population and possess high genetic diversity and important unique genes that are useful for tackling the various biotic and abiotic stresses in the face of the current climate change. Thus, this research was aimed at testing the performance of 150 ex-situ conserved landraces that had been collected from Arsi and Bale highlands, Southeastern Ethiopia. The landraces were tested at multiple test locations over two years (2021 and 2022). Results All the tested landraces showed a good germination rate regardless of their long storage duration. In addition, performance of all the qualitative traits revealed a varying frequency for each character state. For example, most of the accessions (51.3%) had six kernel row numbers (KRN). All the remaining accessions had two rows (28.7%) and irregular KRN with variable lateral florets (20%). Likewise, some of the quantitative traits considered showed a significant variation among the landraces. However, there observed a significant variation for all the interaction effects in some of the traits considered signifying the importance of considering environment effects while targeting genetic selection and improvement of ex-situ conserved germplasms. The phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) were considerably high to medium in most of the traits considered including seed yield per hectare (SYPH) but with no associated higher genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV). Moreover, all the traits showed a far greater phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) to that of genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) once again suggesting the pronounced effect of environmental factors to the variation. This was far supported by the significantly higher absolute magnitudes in phenotypic correlation compared to their corresponding genotypic correlation in most of the traits. Low estimates of heritability and genetic advance observed in all the traits considered except seed yield per hectare indicate importance of the trait for selection in Ethiopian barley improvement programs. Clustering patterns of the accessions, in narrow sense, revealed the existence of low divergence among the samples. Conclusion Ethiopian barley landraces are promising candidates for further yield improvement and conservation. However, further regular testing and screening should be conducted for the ex-situ conserved landraces because of the current erratic climate change. In addition, more robust molecular marker systems could be used to clearly reveal the extents of genetic diversity and to facilitate the breeding and conservation of Ethiopian barley landraces.
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spelling doaj.art-de77ce01681843bf944a210e57a21f952023-12-10T12:13:26ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292023-12-0123111810.1186/s12870-023-04628-7Phenotypic characterization and seed viability test in ex-situ conserved Ethiopian cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landracesFekadu Gadissa0Temesgen Bedassa Gudeta1College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Biology Department, Madda Walabu UniversityCollege of Natural and Computational Sciences, Biology Department, Madda Walabu UniversityAbstract Background Nowadays, most of the Ethiopian barley landraces had been lost from farmer’s field and exclusively found ex-situ conserved at the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI). Those ex-situ conserved are generally believed to be representative of the original population and possess high genetic diversity and important unique genes that are useful for tackling the various biotic and abiotic stresses in the face of the current climate change. Thus, this research was aimed at testing the performance of 150 ex-situ conserved landraces that had been collected from Arsi and Bale highlands, Southeastern Ethiopia. The landraces were tested at multiple test locations over two years (2021 and 2022). Results All the tested landraces showed a good germination rate regardless of their long storage duration. In addition, performance of all the qualitative traits revealed a varying frequency for each character state. For example, most of the accessions (51.3%) had six kernel row numbers (KRN). All the remaining accessions had two rows (28.7%) and irregular KRN with variable lateral florets (20%). Likewise, some of the quantitative traits considered showed a significant variation among the landraces. However, there observed a significant variation for all the interaction effects in some of the traits considered signifying the importance of considering environment effects while targeting genetic selection and improvement of ex-situ conserved germplasms. The phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) were considerably high to medium in most of the traits considered including seed yield per hectare (SYPH) but with no associated higher genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV). Moreover, all the traits showed a far greater phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) to that of genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) once again suggesting the pronounced effect of environmental factors to the variation. This was far supported by the significantly higher absolute magnitudes in phenotypic correlation compared to their corresponding genotypic correlation in most of the traits. Low estimates of heritability and genetic advance observed in all the traits considered except seed yield per hectare indicate importance of the trait for selection in Ethiopian barley improvement programs. Clustering patterns of the accessions, in narrow sense, revealed the existence of low divergence among the samples. Conclusion Ethiopian barley landraces are promising candidates for further yield improvement and conservation. However, further regular testing and screening should be conducted for the ex-situ conserved landraces because of the current erratic climate change. In addition, more robust molecular marker systems could be used to clearly reveal the extents of genetic diversity and to facilitate the breeding and conservation of Ethiopian barley landraces.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-023-04628-7BarleyDiversityLandracesPerformance evaluationPhenotypic characters
spellingShingle Fekadu Gadissa
Temesgen Bedassa Gudeta
Phenotypic characterization and seed viability test in ex-situ conserved Ethiopian cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces
BMC Plant Biology
Barley
Diversity
Landraces
Performance evaluation
Phenotypic characters
title Phenotypic characterization and seed viability test in ex-situ conserved Ethiopian cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces
title_full Phenotypic characterization and seed viability test in ex-situ conserved Ethiopian cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces
title_fullStr Phenotypic characterization and seed viability test in ex-situ conserved Ethiopian cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces
title_full_unstemmed Phenotypic characterization and seed viability test in ex-situ conserved Ethiopian cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces
title_short Phenotypic characterization and seed viability test in ex-situ conserved Ethiopian cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces
title_sort phenotypic characterization and seed viability test in ex situ conserved ethiopian cultivated barley hordeum vulgare l landraces
topic Barley
Diversity
Landraces
Performance evaluation
Phenotypic characters
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-023-04628-7
work_keys_str_mv AT fekadugadissa phenotypiccharacterizationandseedviabilitytestinexsituconservedethiopiancultivatedbarleyhordeumvulgarellandraces
AT temesgenbedassagudeta phenotypiccharacterizationandseedviabilitytestinexsituconservedethiopiancultivatedbarleyhordeumvulgarellandraces