Abstract:
Wheat (Triticum sp.) is one of the most important cereal crops in Ethiopia. It ranks
fifth both in area planted and amount produced after tef, maize, sorghum and barley.
Wheat occupies about 700,000 ha with a national average yield of less than 10 quintals/
ha. Both tetraploid (Triticum turgidum L.) and hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum)
arc grown. The former are indigenous and cover about two-thirds of the wheat area
under production. The cultivars grown are landrace cultivars composed of mixtures of
several morphotypes (agrotypes) and subspecies. Durum or macaroni wheat (Triticum
durum Desf.) is the predominant tetraploid wheat species. It is traditionally grown on
heavy black clay soils (Vertisols) of the highlands between 1800-2800 metres above sea
level. In contrast, hexaploid or bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was probably an
introduction during the early 1920s by the Portuguese or the Italians. It has wider
adaptation and higher yield potential than durum or macaroni wheat.
