Assessment on the Current State of On-Farm Diversity and Genetic Erosion in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Landraces from Bale Highlands, Southeast Ethiopia

Barley landraces is among the major cereal crops grown in Ethiopian highlands including Bale highlands. However, in recent days, the crop is highly declining to the extents of total loss. This study was, therefore, aimed at assessing the extents of its on-farm diversity and genetic erosion from Bale highlands, Ethiopia. Data were generated from twelve administrative districts and analyzed considering important ecological and genetic erosion models. A total of 25 distinct (at least in naming) barley landraces with varying distribution patterns have been identified in the areas. Landrace richness (R) revealed higher magnitude among all the study districts, the smallest being 2.02 (D(Mg)) and 1.41 (D(Mn)) and considerable range of variations (D(Mg) = 2.02 to 5.02, D(Mn) = 1.41 to 3.17). Among the study districts, Dinsho consisted the highest on-farm diversity estimate (D(Mg) = 5.02, D(Mn) = 3.17) followed by Goba and Sinana (D(Mg) = 4.50 and 3.97; D(Mn) = 2.87 and 2.57 in that order). Estimate of the landrace evenness (E) also showed the highest magnitude (>0.95) except in Agarfa district (0.77). The result suggests potentiality of the areas and wide cultivation of majority of the landraces in the villages. However, nowadays, only 14 landraces are under cultivation and the remaining 11 are totally eroded from the district(s) constituting the highest (56.0%) combined genetic erosion suggesting loss of important agronomic traits and, thus, a major bottleneck for further improvement and conservation plans. Thus, attention should be payed to conserving the landraces for better further use.