Developing elite durum wheat landrace selections (composites) for Ethiopian peasant farm use: Raising productivity while keeping diversity alive

Abstract

The Ethiopian peasant farms are characterized by highly varied micro-environments differing in characteristics such as topography, soil type, water, temperature and fertility. The bulk of the durum wheat planting material currently in use on these farms is largely represented by traditional farmers' varieties/landraces.

These traditional farmers' varieties/landraces generally, are stable but low yielding, and often fail to adequately meet the level of productivity essential for production beyond subsistence level, unless they are enhanced to improve their competitiveness with modern varieties in respect to yield. Improving the productivity of landraces, while maintaining an appreciable level of genetic diversity is crucial to yield stability. This could be achieved by developing composites that are formed by bulking together three or more potentially high yielding spikes (agrotypes) that vary for various morphologic and agronomic characteristics, but due to their similarity in plant height, maturity, glume color and seed color give the composite a uniform field appearance like a modern variety.