Ethiopia: Center Discovers New Crops, Animal Feed Species

Animal Feed Species

The new varieties could improve production and productivity.The Bako Agricultural Research Center announced that it has submitted its research findings of nine varieties of improved crops and animal fodder species to the National Species Endorsing Committee.

Center Oil and Cereals Crops Team Leader Solomon Bekele said the species included three types of sesame, two species of millet and a pea. It took five years to finalize the research on the species, he added.

The research has confirmed that the new varieties of crops have better yields, according to the Team Leader.

Sesame species which could easily adapt to low land weather conditions are suited to the ecosystem in Wollega and Illu Ababora Zones.

The team leader noted that experimental researches conducted in the zones have revealed that the improved varieties of the crops could yield 13 quintals per hectare compared to eight to ten hectares from the older varieties.

Similarly, pea species tested on the demonstration plots in west Shoa and east Wollega Zones have shown that the improved species could yield 35 quintals per hectare, Solomon added.

In addition, two improved species of sorghum in the two zones showed yield of 30 quintals per hectare exceeding the yield from the previous species by ten quintals, he stated.

The team leader recalled that over the previous years, the center discovered new types of sorghum with 25 quintals of yield per hectare compared to five quintals from the older varieties.

Animal fodder varieties that were found through research have also reportedly contributed to the improvement of animal feed in the two zones.