International Journal of Plant Breeding and Crop Science

Vol. 7(3), pp. 894-899, October, 2020. © www.premierpublishers.org, ISSN: 2167-0449

Research Article

YIELD PERFORMANCE and ADAPTATION of KABULI

CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) VARIETIES at
WESTERN HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA.
1Genet
Mengistu*, 1Asnake Fikre, 1Asefa Funga, 1Niguse Girma, 1Lijalem Korbu, 1Redwan
Mohamed, 1Fasil Hailu, 1Amin Fedlu, 1Dagnachewu Bekele, 2Abdulfeta Tariku
1DebreZeitAgricultural Research Center, P.O.Box: 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia,
2ChiroAgricultural Research Center, P.O.Box: 190 Chiro.
Corresponding Author E-mail: genetmengistu425@gmail.com

A field experiment was conducted under rain fed condition at Chiro agricultural research center
and Arberekete research station during the year of 2019 main cropping season to evaluate the
yield performance and adaptability among released Kabuli chickpea varieties for the target area.
The varieties were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The
environment by variety interaction analysis showed highly significant difference for the varieties,
implying that there is best fit cultivar independently for each location. Accordingly, the highest
grain yield at Arberekete was revealed by shasho, Habru, Chefe and Kasech consecutively; while
at Chiro; Yelibe, Habru, Ejere and Kasech demonstrated top four yield scores. Therefore,
Shasho, Habru, Chefe and Kasech varieties were adapted for Arberekete and similar agro-
ecological zones of the western Hararge; Yelibe, Habru, Ejere and Kasech varieties were adapted
and promoted for Chiro and similar agro-ecological zones of the western Hararghe zone.

Keywords: Adaptation, Grain yield, Kabuli chickpea, Rain fed, Varieties

INTRODUCTION

Cultivated chickpea, is a self-pollinated, diploid (2n= 2x
=16) annual pulse crop with a relatively small genome size
of 738Mb (Varshney et al., 2013). It belongs to Family,
Fabaceae Genus, Cicer and Species, C. arietinum. The
crop is herbaceous, a small bush with diffused spreading
branches from the base, which reach a height of 20 – 150
cm depending on cultivar and suitability of the growing
environment.
According to Rman et al. (2013), the crop has an
indeterminate growth habit which continues to produce
vegetative growth whenever soil moisture, temperature
and other environmental factors are favorable. Chickpea
breeding in Ethiopia was started in the 1970s with the
prime objectives of improving seed yield, seed size and
resistance to important diseases, particularly fusarium wilt
and aschocyta blight. From the breeding efforts in
Ethiopia, a number of improved Kabuli chickpea varieties
have been developed and released for production under
different recommendation domains, including the mid and
high altitude agro-ecologies. An assessment of the
producer’s demand shows that they are opting more for
Kabuli chickpeas (Tebikewu et al., 2009) to Desi. The
Kabuli chickpea had negligible share two decades ago, but
now is estimated to occupy above one-third of the total
area and this trend of area coverage increment is expected
to continue. Kabuli chickpea area may outsmart the Desi
type in the future (Asnake, 2014).
The market values, taste, seed size, resistance to
ascochyta blight, and productivity all make this type
(Kabuli) getting momentum (Shiferaw and Teklewold,
2007). International markets favor the Kabuli types and
offer higher prices for them (Shiferaw et al., 2007). This
has attracted attention in Ethiopia, and steps have been
taken to increase Kabuli production and export (Abera,

YIELD PERFORMANCE and ADAPTATION of KABULI CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) VARIETIES at WESTERN HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA.
Genet et al., 895

2010). The improved varieties have a high yield potential
of four to five folds of the local cultivars. These varieties do
not only excel the local varieties by their yield potential but
also have larger seed size (Legesse et al., 2005a).
Chickpea is widely grown in different agro-ecological
zones falling between 1400 to 2300m above sea level
where the mean annual rainfall ranges from 700 to
2000mm (Geletu and Million, 1996). Even though the fact
that Ethiopia’s agro-climatic conditions are suitable to
chickpea production (Simone et al., 2019) , the potential of
chickpea crop is not exploited and highly limited in this
part of the zone due to lack of improved varieties, poor
management practices, biotic factors and abiotic factors.
Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the
yield performance, adaptability among released Kabuli
chickpea varieties for the target area, so that further
scaling up pathway follows as stated (Asnake et al.,
2011a).
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A field experiment was conducted under the rainfed
condition at Chiro agricultural research center and
Arberekete research station during the year of 2019 main
cropping season. Arberekete is located at the latitude of
09 o06’ N, the longitude of 40o 91’E and an altitude of 2247
m.a.s.l. The area is characterized by annual minimum and
maximum temperatures of 12 and 23 oc, respectively and
receives 1150mm annual rainfall. The soil type of the
center is classified as black vertisol (Gosa, 2016). Chiro
research station is located at 09°05’N latitude and 40°88’
E longitude at an altitude of 1856 m.a.s.l. The area has a
minimum and maximum annual temperatures of 12 and
23°C, respectively and receives 950 mm annual rainfall.
The soil type of the experimental station is classified as
black vertisol (Gosa, 2016).
The experiment consisted of fourteen Kabuli chickpea
varieties (Table 1). The experiment was planted at mid-
August in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)
with three replications. The experimental plot size of 4
rows each 4m long and 1.2m wide (4.8m 2) with the spacing
of 30cm between rows, 10cm between plants and 1m
between blocks was used. No fertilizer was applied while
recommended weeding practices were done throughout
the growing season. Data were recorded on: days to
flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of pods
per plant, hundred seed weight and grain yield per hectare.

Table 1: List of Kabuli Chickpea Varieties Used in the Experiment

No Variety Pedigree Source Released by Unique Trait
1 DZ-10-4 Local collection Ethiopia DZARC -
2 Arerti X87TH186/ICC14198XFLIP82-150C ICARDA DZARC Tolerant to Ascochyta blight
and Root Rot/wilt
3 Shasho ICCC33X(L144XE1004Y(M) ICRISAT DZARC Tolerant to Ascochyta blight
and root rot wilt
4 Chefe (ICCV2XSURUTATO77)ICC-7344 ICRISAT DZARC Tolerant to Ascochyta blight
5 Habru X85TH230/ILC3395XFLIP 83-13C) ICARDA DZARC Tolerant to Ascochyta blight
and Earliness
6 Ejerie X94TH71/FLIP87-59CX4C-15 ICARDA DZARC Tolerant to Ascochyta blight,
earliness
7 Teji X94TH75/FLIP87-58CX4C-15 ICARDA DZARC Tolerant to Ascochyta blight
8 Yelibie ICC-14808 ICRISAT SARC -
9 AcosDubie ICC 13XANNIGERI Mexico DZARC Extra big seed size, best niche
market
10 Kasech FLIP 95-31C ICRISAT SARC Drought stress agro-ecology
11 Akuri ICC-03402 ICRISAT SARC Drought stress agro-ecology
12 Kobo ICCV-01308 ICRISAT SARC Drought stress agro-ecology
13 Hora X2000TH50/FLIP98-52C X FLIP 98- ICARDA DZARC Tolerant to ascochyta blight
12C
14 Dhera X98TH30/FLIP-93-55CXS96231 ICARDA DZARC Tolerant to ascochyta blight and
suitable to mechanical harvest

YIELD PERFORMANCE and ADAPTATION of KABULI CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) VARIETIES at WESTERN HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA.
 Int. J. Plant Breed. Crop Sci. 896

Statistical Analysis RESULT AND DISCUSSION

All measured parameters were subjected to analysis of
variance (ANOVA) using PROC GLM of SAS software
version 9.0 to assess the difference among the tested
varieties. Mean separation was carried out using the Least
Significant Difference (LSD) Test.
Grain Yield Performance of Kabuli Chickpea Varieties
The results of the separate analysis of variance for the two
individual locations for grain yield (kg ha-1) showed a highly
significant difference among varieties (Table 2).

Table 2: Mean squares from a separate analysis of variance for grain yield and other traits of Kabuli chickpea at
two locations.
Traits Mean squares (MS) at each location
Arberekete Chiro
Variety Error Variety Error
DF 13.79* 4.84 15.05** 1.97
DM 19.47 ** 3.29 15.48** 1.28
PTH 238.91** 48.52 65.66* 23.34
NPPP 5941.77** 582.18 1519.16** 98.89
HSW 144.11** 10.64 51.93** 4.51
GY 347529.75** 108290.00 366822.53** 93943.71
**, *, ns= Significant at P < 0.01, significant at P < 0.05 and non-significant respectively
€= DF= days to flowering, DM=days to physiological maturity, PTH= plant height (cm), NPPP= number of pods per plant,
HSW= hundred seed weight (g) and GY= grain yield (Kg ha-1).

Table 3: Mean squares from combined analysis of variance for yield and other traits of Kabuli chickpea evaluated
over two locations in 2019 Cropping Season
Trait€ Location(1) ¥ Variety(13) Location x Error(52) Mean CV R2
Variety(13)
DF 13.76ns 27.28** 1.56** 3.40 71.02 2.60 0.71
DM 8.68 ns 43.69** 1.04ns 3.62 179.87 1.06 0.77
PTH 28.58ns 180.14** 124.43** 35.9 80.27 7.47 0.69
NPPP 64574.3** 5693.68** 1767.26* 722.86 167.18 16.08 0.81
HSW 188.70** 131.04** 64.999** 7.58 29.85 9.2 0.88
GY 265646.27ns 436870.62** 277481.65** 101116.85 967.96 32.85 0.66
¥= Numbers in parenthesis represent degrees of freedom €=Abbreviations of traits, refer to Table 2.

The mean grain yield ranged from 440.3 kg ha-1 for the
variety Hora to 1429.9 kg ha-1 for the variety Shasho and
358.1 for the variety Arerti to1674.1 kg ha-1 for the variety
Yelibe at Arberekete and Chiro, respectively (Table 4). The
recently released variety, Hora was not showed good
performance for grain yield at both locations. Variety
Habru, Chefe and Kasech recorded the second, third and
fourth highest grain yield respectively at Arberekete; and
Habru, Ejere and Kasech, recorded the second, third and
fourth highest grain yield at Chiro station respectively
(Table 4).
The environment by variety interaction analysis showed a
highly significant difference for the varieties (Table 3),
implying that there is best-fit cultivar independently for
each location. Accordingly, the highest grain yield at
Arberekete was revealed by Shasho, Habru, Chefe and
Kasech consecutively; while at Chiro; Yelibe, Habru, Ejere
and Kasech, demonstrated top four yield scores.
Yasin (2014) reported Arerti and Habru out yielding other
varieties which were also ranked by farmers and
researchers as the most preferred varieties’.Deresa et al.
(2018) also reported Dalota and Habru, which had
comparably highest yields to be adopted for cultivation in
three districts of Guji Zone of Southern Oromia. Therefore,
the result indicates that independent selection must be
made in promoting the cultivars based on its
performances.

YIELD PERFORMANCE and ADAPTATION of KABULI CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) VARIETIES at WESTERN HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA.
Genet et al., 897

Table 4: Mean grain yield in (kg ha-1) of Kabuli chickpea varieties adaptation trial at individual locations during
cropping season of 2019
Variety Arberekete Chiro Mean
DZ-10-4 568.3e 760.7cde 664.5
Arerti 1122.4a-d 358.1e 740.2
Shasho 1429.9a 1137.3abc 1283.6
Chefe 1354.0ab 1157.6abc 1255.8
Habru 1392.1ab 1390.7ab 1391.4
Ejerie 865.4bcde 1336.1abc 1100.8
Teji 706.3cde 1095.3a-d 900.8
Yelibie 600.9de 1674.1a 1137.5
Acosdubie 861.1bcde 756.0cde 808.6
Kasech 1242.5abc 1227.2abc 1234.9
Akuri 785.6cde 820.2b-e 802.9
Kobo 516.0e 1022.1bcd 769.0
Hora 440.3e 543.9de 492.1
Dhera 879.4a-e 1059.5bcd 969.5
Grand mean 911.72 1024.20 967.96
Cv 36.09 29.93
Lsd 552.3 514.41
Means followed by the same letter within a column are not significantly different from each other

Date of Flowering: Days to flowering ranged from 67.00
(Habru) to 74.00 days (DZ-10-4) and 68.00 days (Habru)
to 76.00 (DZ-10-4) days for Arberekete and Chiro location
respectively (Table 5). Variety DZ-10-4 took the longest
days to flower at Arberekete and Chiro station, whereas
Variety Habru scored early flowering at both located in the
study area (Table 5). Teji scored the second early
flowering variety at Arberekete whereas Chefe scored the
second early flowering variety at Chiro location.
Date of Maturity: Variety DZ-10-4 took the longest days
to mature (185.00, 187.00) days whereas Variety Habru
scored early maturing (175.3, 175.3) days for Arberekete
and Chiro location, respectively (Table 5). Likewise, Yasin
(2014) reported variety Habru recorded early maturing at
Bobicho and Jewi station of southern Ethiopia. In contrast,
he reported Variety Arerti took the longest days to mature
at Bobicho as well as at Jewi. Teji scored the second early
maturing variety at Arberekete and Chiro location (Table
5).
Plant Height: it ranged from 71cm (Chefe) to 96cm (kobo)
and 69.66cm (Kasech) to 89.33(Arerti) for Arberekete and
Chiro location, respectively (Table 5). The tallest plant
height was observed in the variety ‘kobo’ (96 cm) and
‘Arerti’ at Arberekete and Chiro location, respectively.
These results are further supported by Ines C. Gonzales
and Fernando R. Gonzales (2014) who reported
considerable variation in the plant height of different
chickpea varieties when planted under various
environments.
Number of Pod per Plant: The highest number of pod per
plant was recorded for the variety DZ-10-4(272.3) at
Arberekete and variety Teji (171.33) followed by DZ-10-4
at Chiro (Table 5). Variety Acos dubie scored the lowest
number of pod per plant at Arberekete and Chiro location.
In contrast to this study, Yasin (2014) reported the number
of pod per plant was highest (81.75; 77) in variety Arerti,
followed by varieties Habru and Chefe with an average
number of pod per plant of (76.25; 69.5) cm and (65.75;
65) at Bobicho and Jewi, respectively.
Hundred Seed Weight: Variety Kasech (38.56gm) was
scored the most significant hundred seed weight, followed
by Chefe and Variety Acos dubie (19.4) scored the
smallest hundred seed weight at Arberekete.
At Chiro location, variety Dhera (33.93) scored the biggest
hundred seed weight, followed by Habru (33.6) and variety
DZ-10-4(20.26) scored the smallest hundred seed weight
(Table 5).

YIELD PERFORMANCE and ADAPTATION of KABULI CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) VARIETIES at WESTERN HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA.
 Int. J. Plant Breed. Crop Sci. 898

Table 5: Mean values of different traits individual locations for Kabuli chickpea varieties in the potential yield
trials
Chickpea varieties DF DM NPPP PTH HSW
Arberekete location
DZ-10-4 74.0a 185.0a 272.3a 71.33d 13.56f
Arerti 70.0b-e 180.33b 189.67c-f 87.00ab 31.47cd
Shasho 73.33ab 181.33b 204.0bcd 86.66abc 32.73bcd
Chefe 68.67cde 178.3bcd 214.33bc 71.00d 38.067ab
Habru 67.0e 175.3d 198.67b-e 78.00bcd 34.53a-d
Ejerie 70.67a-e 179.66b 230.0bc 75.00cd 32.13cd
Teji 67.67de 175.66d 232.67ab 75.00cd 29.97d
Yelibie 70.67a-e 180.0b 209.3bcd 76.33bcd 35.43a-d
Acos dubie 73.0ab 181.33b 84.33g 76.00bcd 19.4e
Kasech 70.33a-e 180.67b 169.0def 71.00d 38.56a
Akuri 72.33abc 180.3b 202.33bcd 94.00a 32.70bcd
Kobo 71.33a-d 180.33b 161.33ef 96.0a 33.73a-d
Hora 71.33a-d 179.0bc 211.0bc 81.33bcd 36.60abc
Dhera 68.33de 176.3cd 149.67f 93.33a 29.97d
Grand Mean 70.62 179.55 194.9 80.85 31.35
Cv 3.11 1.01 12.38 8.62 10.41
Lsd (%) 3.69 3.045 40.495 11.69 5.475
Chiro location
DZ-10-4 76.0a 187.00a 168.00ab 85.33ab 20.26e
Arerti 70.66c-f 181.0bcd 131.0ef 89.33a 20.50e
Shasho 73.0bc 181.33bcd 154.0bcd 78.33bc 31.43abc
Chefe 68.33fg 178.33def 126.67ef 81.33abc 26.83d
Habru 68.00g 175.3f 132.0ef 76.66bc 33.60a
Ejerie 72.33bcd 182.0bc 116.67f 82.66abc 26.10d
Teji 70.33d-g 176.0ef 171.33a 76.00dc 31.9ab
Yelibie 70.33d-g 180.0bcd 140.33cde 78.66bc 31.07abc
Acos dubie 74.33ab 182.67b 82.67g 78.33dc 28.67bcd
Kasech 72.0bcd 181.0bcd 137.67de 69.66d 28.83bcd
Akuri 72.00bcd 180.3bcd 156.00abc 80.0bc 28.30cd
Kobo 72.66bcd 180.67bcd 154.33bcd 83.00abc 28.33cd
Hora 71.00bcd 179.0cde 142.0bcd 79.66bc 27.06d
Dhera 69.00efg 178.0def 139.67cde 76.66dc 33.93a
Grand Mean 71.43 180.19 139.45 79.69 28.35
Cv 1.97 1.10 7.13 6.06 7.49
Lsd (%) 2.36 3.34 16.69 8.11 3.56
Means followed by the same letter within a column are not significantly different from each other
€=Abbreviations of traits, refer to Table 2

CONCLUSION
Fourteen Kabuli chickpea varieties were tested for yield
performance and adaptation at western Hararghe zone.
The environment by variety interaction analysis showed a
significant difference among the varieties for grain yield
and all of the studied traits except date of maturity,
implying that there is best-fit cultivar independently for
each location. Accordingly, the highest grain yield at
Arberekete was revealed by Shasho, Habru, Chefe and
Kasech consecutively; while at Chiro; Yelibe, Habru, Ejere
and Kasech, demonstrated top four yield scores.
From this study, it was observed that each of the tested
variety showed different performance for different
characters. Grain yield is an important character to be
considered for variety selection to address the objective of
the conducted activity. Therefore, Shasho, Habru, Chefe
and Kasech varieties were adapted for Arberekete and;
Yelibe, Habru, Ejere and Kasech varieties were adapted
and promoted for Chiro and similar agro-ecological zones
of the western Hararghe zone.

YIELD PERFORMANCE and ADAPTATION of KABULI CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) VARIETIES at WESTERN HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA.
Genet et al., 899

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YIELD PERFORMANCE and ADAPTATION of KABULI CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) VARIETIES at WESTERN HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA.