Abstract            Volume:11  Issue-3  Year-2023         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Shortage of feed is a critical problem for livestock production in Ethiopia. Thus, production of oat varieties that can be performed better at different agro-ecologies is very important to mitigate the feed shortage problem in study areas. The experiment was conducted to evaluate oat varieties for their herbage dry matter yield, seed yield and other agronomic traits under two agro ecologies of Buno Bedeleand Ilu Aba Borzones, South Western Oromia, Ethiopia. The trial was carried out at Gechi and Hurumu districts and Chora and Mettu districts which were purposely selected to represent highland and midland agro-ecologies, respectively for two consecutive years of 2020 and 2021 in the main cropping season. Seven oat varieties (Lamptom, CI-2806, Bonsa, Bate, CI-2291, Jassery and CI-8251) were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Data on stand and vigor, plot cover percentage, dry matter yield, plant height, leaf to stem ratio, disease score, maturity date and seed yield were collected and subjected to general linear model procedures of Genstat software version 18.1 and least significance difference for data analysis and mean separation were employed respectively. The varieties had responded differently (P<0.05) at both highland and midland areas in dry matter yield, leaf to steam ratio, plant height and disease score but the seed yield and maturity date were not significantly difference in highland and midland areas respectively. The dry matter yield of seven oat varieties ranged 10.6-15.4 t ha^-1 at highland and 9.5-13.8 t ha^-1 at midland areas. Based on the study result, better dry matter yield and seed yield performances were recorded from varieties Bonsa, CI-2291, and CI-2806. Generally, Bonsa, CI-2291, and CI-2806 oat varieties were well adapted and performed in the study areas. Therefore, Bonsa, CI-2291, and CI-2806 oat varieties were recommended for further demonstration and scaled-up for the study areas and similar agro-ecologies.

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