The document outlines strategies for improving tef grain and straw yield through various breeding methods, emphasizing both conventional and non-conventional techniques. It highlights challenges in tef research and breeding, including insufficient prioritization and limited research resources, proposing interventions to enhance institutional capacity, basic research, and varietal development. Key recommendations include creating a dedicated center of excellence for tef research and ensuring adequate funding and infrastructure for a robust breeding program.

1. KbebebewAssefa (EIAR)
Berga Lemaga (ATA)
Tareke Berhe (ATA)
TEF RESEARCH 4 DEVELOPMENT

2. WHAT DO WE WANT TO BREED FOR?
 High Grain & StrawYield
 Quality Grain and Straw
 Climate Friendly/Resilient
Grain and StrawYield
Resistance 2 Biotic Factors
Resistance toAbiotic
Factors
 Erect, Non-lodging Plants
Conventional Breeding
Non-conventional Breeding
1. Mutation Breeding
2. Intra-species Breeding
3. Biotechnology

3. WHERE DO WE START?
 Very HighVariability inTef
Germplasm
 KnowledgeThatTef Is A C-4 Plant
 Already Established Cross-breeding
Technique
 Already Established GoodVarieties
 Signs that Mutation Breeding Can
Contribute
 Successful Breeding Results In
Other Cereals
 Wheat
 Rice
 Etc

4. IN THE NATIONAL TEF STRATEGY
 BREEDING CHALLENGES
 Insufficient priority is given to tef research,
resulting in limited institutional and
resource capacity
 Limited basic research on tef exists to serve
as a basis for further exploration
 Limited basic research on tef exists to serve
as a basis for further exploration
 Genetic resource collection and
management is insufficient
 Tef varieties released so far do not
adequately address lodging, biotic/abiotic
stress, shattering, food products, etc.
 Limited applied research in many areas
such as socioeconomics, soil, physiology,
food chemistry, crop protection and
mechanization
 PROPOSED INTERVENTIONS
 Enhance institutional system and capacity in
financial, human and material capital
 Strengthen basic research (physiology, genetics,
cytogenetics and genomics) on tef
 Strengthen basic research (physiology, genetics,
cytogenetics and genomics) on tef
 Develop comprehensive genetic resources
collection and characterization
 Strengthen and accelerate varietal development
through breeding /Biotechnology
 Enhance applied research in areas such as
socioeconomics, soil, physiology, food
chemistry, crop protection and mechanization
 Strengthen research related to other value chain
steps

5. LARGE/LONG PANICLES

6. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM: Lodging

7. HOPEFUL SIGNS DUE TO IMPROVED
AGRONOMIC PRACTICES

8. OTHER CEREALS STAND ERECT

9. HOW TO MAKE THE TEF PLANT
CARRY MORE GRAINS?

10. PROPSED TEF IDEOTYPES
Short Peduncle
Short Internodes

11. SHORT & SEMI-COMPACT PANICLES

12. Crop Harvest Index
Tef’s Harvest Index is Quite Low
 Unstressed harvest index
values
 Beans (Dry) 0.45 - 0.55
 Lentils 0.45 - 0.55
 Maize 0.40 - 0.55
 Peas (Dry) 0.45 - 0.55
 Oats 0.40 - 0.55
 Sorghum 0.40 - 0.55
 Soybean 0.25 - 0.35
 Sunflower 0.30 - 0.35
 Wheat 0.40 - 0.55
 Seyfu Ketema (1993); 2225
Accessions = o.17
 NarrowingThe Rift
= 0.24
 Seyfu Ketema (1997),
IPGRI = 0.17

Range 0.07-0.38
Tarke et al ( 2013 ) = 0.26
Refissa (2012 ) = 0.28
Teklay (2012) = 0.28
Brhane ( 2012) = 0.
23

13. Source:
ACTIONS NEEDED TO CREATE AN
ERECT TEF PLANT?

14. RECOMMENDATIONS
CREATE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FORTEF-DZ?
HAVE MANY SCIENTISTS (DIFFERENT DESCIPLINES)
WORKING 24/7
PROVIDEADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE- LAND,
GREENHOUSES, LABORATORIES, EQUIPMENT, ETC.
ALLOCATE PLENTY MONEY

15. A STRONG BREEDING PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE
THE BEST TEF FOR ETHIOPIA & THE WORLD