GENETIC VARIABILITY AND FARMER PREFERENCE EVALUA-TION OF MALT BARLEY (Hordeum vulgare L.) VARIETIES FOR YIELD, YIELD RELATED TRAIT AND MALT QUALITY IN WOLLO, NORTH EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Malt barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most important industrial crop and highly demanded due to the expansion of brewery factories in the country and the unique nature of the grain for malt. However, its production and productivity is very low compared to other countries due to limited numbers of high yielding malt barley varieties, partial use of agro-nomic and production and low genetic base in north eastern Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were to assess the genetic variability of yield, yield related traits and quality trait, to estimate direct, indirect effects of trait associations and to identify malt barley varieties pre-ferred by farmers. Seventeen varieties were evaluated and subjected to the analysis of vari-ance and participatory variety selection (PVS) using RCB design at two locations, in Eastern Amhara. The varieties differed significantly for most of the characters and had wide range of mean values, which indicated the existence of variations among the tested varieties. Estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) were generally low at Mekedella but relatively from low to high at Geregra. The highest GCV and PCV values were recorded on grain yield (51) and plant height (60)and grain yield(60) and plant height(59)Mekedella and Geregra. The PCV values were slightly greater than the GCV values. Grain yield, plant height, protein content and grain size had relatively high heritabil-ity. Grain yield gives high heritability value accompanied by high genetic advance which is good indicator for selection. Grain yield had positively and significantly correlated with date of maturity. The tested quality parameter fulfill brewery standard. Grain yield negatively cor-related with protein and positively associates with starch. Participatory variety selection was done using pair wise ranking and direct matrix ranking methods. It provides an oppor-tunity to the farmers for variety selection and creates a chance to adopt the new selected vari-eties easily. Variety HB-1533, IBON174/03, EH-1847 and Friegbs scores the highest yield and highly preferred by farmers which perk up by the community. The above varieties were selected for further multiplication, seed dissemination