Abstract

Fistum Miruts G/wahed

Four varieties (Hidasie, Nerica-12, Nerica-4 and Pawe-1) were demonstrated and evaluated on a farmer’s field. Average yield performances of the demonstrated varieties show 42.66, 34.19, 33.41 and 32.23 quintal per hectare of Pawe-1, Nerica-3, Hidasie and Nerica-12 varieties respectively. Pawe-1 variety showed better yield performance. In the ranking, Pawe-1 was selected as the best-preferred. Based on farmers’ perception, Pawe-1 was ranked first as it produces a good yield, high tilling capacity, the white colour of the grain and preferred at the market with good price. This result indicates Pawe-1 variety is farmers’ best preferred and top performed variety which can be considered as a promising variety to be widely produced by rice farmers in the study area. The yield under demonstration plots was higher than the local cultivar and the use of research recommended rice cultivation method can reduce the technology gap to a considerable extent. Therefore, it is recommended that the office of agriculture of the woreda needs further scale up the varieties to other areas to benefit quite a significant number of farmers.