Homemade Products and Socio-Cultural Values of Wheat Seed Production in Ambo and Dandi Districts of West Central Ethiopia

The objective of the study was to document homemade dishes/beverages from wheat landraces and socio-cultural lifestyles of people related to  wheat production in Ambo and Dandi Districts, West Shewa. A total of four Peasant Associations (PAs) (Awaro, Gosu-Kora, Awash-Bole and Haro-Dule) were purposively selected from the two districts. A questionnaire on wheat seed systems, utilization and socio-cultural life style of people related to wheat landraces cultivation and conservation were developed. Focused group discussions were made at village level among groups of farmers on specific points led by the principal researchers. Emphasis was given to women since the utilization of crops in the households are usually their  responsibilities. In addition, a total of 90 households were interviewed following the questionnaire developed on the three themes. Finally   consolidated ideas were noted by the researchers and organized into tables and figures of proportions. Farmers reported that nine different homemade dishes/snacks and two beverages which can be made from  wheat landraces. These include dufo-dabo, budena/injera, ambasha/kita, kinche, marka, mullu, aka’i, dabo-kolo, biscuit and beverages farso and arake. The different wheat landraces are suited for the preparation of at least two or more different dishes/snacks and beverages. These different dishes/snacks and beverages are prepared at regular times or on specialoccasions (e.g. New Year, religious and non-religious social gatherings). Some of the dishes and beverages are used as sources of income by urban and suburban women who sell their products at markets or bus  stops. Seed colour plays a critical role in determining end use qualities. White seed varieties are preferred for food uses while the purple seed  types are used for beverage production. The people of the study areas have deep rooted culture connected to wheat production. Farmers use  folksongs and proverbs to express the end use qualities and their peculiar morpho-agronomic characteristics of different wheat landrace varieties

On-Farm Diversity and Genetic Erosion of Tetraploid Wheat Landraces in Ambo and Dandi Districts, West Shewa, Ethiopia

No Abstract

Classifying Ethiopian Tetraploid Wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) Landraces by Combined Analysis of Molecular & Phenotypic Data

The aim of the study was to investigate the extent of the genetic diversity among gene bank accessions of Ethiopian tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) landraces using microsatellite markers, qualitative and  quantitative data. Thirty five accessions of Ethiopian tetraploid wheat (T. turgidum L.) landraces were grown in the greenhouse at IFA Tulln, Austria during spring 2009 for DNA extraction. The same accessions were already grown in spring 2008 at BOKU Vienna, Austraia for their phenotypical  characterisation. DNA was extracted from each approximately one month old plant according to Promega (1998/99) protocol. A total of 10 £gl  reaction mixture per sample was used for DNA amplification by PCR. The amplified mixture was loaded to PAGE (12%) containing TE buffer (1„e) in CBS electrophoresis chambers and run in an electric field for 2 hrs. The fragments were visualized by scanning with Typhoon Trio scanner. Six and ten quantitative and qualitative morphological traits data respectively were used for combined analysis. Genetic variation was significant within and between wheat species and within and between altitudes of collection site. Genetic distances ranged from 0.21 to 0.73 for all accessions while it ranged from 0.44 within Triticum polonicum to 0.56 between T. polonicum and T. turgidum. Genetic distance between regions of collection ranged from 0.51 to 0.54 while for altitudes it ranged from 0.47 (.2200 m) to 0.56(.2500 m). Cluster analysis showed that T. polonicum accessions were grouped together whereas T. durum and T. turgidum formed mixed clusters indicating T. polonicum as genetically more distinct from the other two species. We suggest combined analysis of molecular and morphological data for a better classification of accessions

Österreichisches Projekt Grundlagen zur Züchtung, Vermehrung und Sorten-/Saatgutprüfung für den Biolandbau: Ergebnisübersicht

In the Austrian research project “Basic principles for breeding, multiplication and variety testing for organic agriculture” (from 2004 until 2008) novel methods for the assessment of the suitability of seed and cultivars for organic farming were developed and evaluated by an interdisciplinary co-operation of researchers, breeders and variety testers. Organic farming requires specific combinations of crop plant characters, especially seed health and resistance against seed-borne diseases. Another crucial feature is the competitive ability against weeds. Early development was found to significantly increase the competitiveness of different crop plants. Genotypic variation in characters necessary for an efficient utilisation of below-ground resources was also investigated, e.g. interrelations between root development and drought stress tolerance and between mycorrhiza formation and nutrient use efficiency. Based on the results obtained in various cultivar trials, it can be concluded that genotypes suitable for organic growing conditions may be pre-selected from early breeding material of conventional breeding programmes. The selected breeding material must subsequently be rigorously tested on organically managed fields starting from the first yield trials at the latest. The project results were communicated to farmers and advisors during field days and excursions. They will be applied in the breeding of new cultivars

Advanced backcross QTL mapping of resistance to Fusarium head blight and plant morphological traits in a Triticum macha × T. aestivum population

While many reports on genetic analysis of Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance in bread wheat have been published during the past decade, only limited information is available on FHB resistance derived from wheat relatives. In this contribution, we report on the genetic analysis of FHB resistance derived from Triticum macha (Georgian spelt wheat). As the origin of T. macha is in the Caucasian region, it is supposed that its FHB resistance differs from other well-investigated resistance sources. To introduce valuable alleles from the landrace T. macha into a modern genetic background, we adopted an advanced backcross QTL mapping scheme. A backcross-derived recombinant-inbred line population of 321 BC2F3 lines was developed from a cross of T. macha with the Austrian winter wheat cultivar Furore. The population was evaluated for Fusarium resistance in seven field experiments during four seasons using artificial inoculations. A total of 300 lines of the population were genetically fingerprinted using SSR and AFLP markers. The resulting linkage map covered 33 linkage groups with 560 markers. Five novel FHB-resistance QTL, all descending from T. macha, were found on four chromosomes (2A, 2B, 5A, 5B). Several QTL for morphological and developmental traits were mapped in the same population, which partly overlapped with FHB-resistance QTL. Only the 2BL FHB-resistance QTL co-located with a plant height QTL. The largest-effect FHB-resistance QTL in this population mapped at the spelt-type locus on chromosome 5A and was associated with the wild-type allele q, but it is unclear whether q has a pleiotropic effect on FHB resistance or is closely linked to a nearby resistance QTL