International Food Policy Research Institute/ Ethiopia Strategy Support Program and Ethiopian Development Research Institute co-organized a full day conference on Teff value chain with Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research and Agriculutural Transformation Agency on October 10, 2013 at Hilton Hotel

1. The Agronomy of Tef
By Solomon Chanyalew and Kebebew Assefa
10 October, 2013
Addis Ababa

2. Outline


Past research findings/recommendations
Results of two seasons experiments






Sowing method by seed rate
Planting method
Planting depth and row spacing
Spacing trial for hill planting
Tentative recommendations
Advantages of row planting

3. 1. Past research findings/recommendations
 Tef
is cultivated in much the same way as wheat and barley
 Depending on
the location and maturity of the cultivar tef is
grown during the main growing season between July and
November, and also during the small rainy season (Belg)
 It
is mainly cultivated as a monocrop, but occasionally under
a multiple cropping system (intercroped with rapeseed,
safflower and sunflower or relay-cropped with maize and
sorghum
 It
is also cropped sequentially in a crop-rotation system in
the mid- and high-altitude areas after chickpea, field pea and

4. Past research recommendations….(cont’d)
 Seed bed preparation: tef field is ploughed two to five times
depending on the soil type, weed conditions and waterlogging.
 Heavy clay soils and fields with high weed populations receive
ploughing more frequently than loam or sandy soils and those
with fewer weeds.
 Vertisols in areas where there is a problem of waterlogging
are ploughed more than those without in order to open drainage
furrows.

5. Past research recommendations….(cont’d)
Under most farmers production system, tef seeds are sown on
the surface of the soil and left uncovered or sometimes
covered
very lightly

 Under
moisture stress conditions packing the seedbed before
sowing promotes germination and increases grain yield through
increasing stand establishment

Vertisols that suffer from soil crusting moderate packing of the
seedbed is useful to enhance stand establishment

6. Past research recommendations….(cont’d)
Seedbed packing is done before sowing tef to make the

seedbed firm, prevent the soil surface from drying
quickly, assist germination of seeds and to free the
seedbed from weeds.

No additional positive advantage from packing the
seedbed in areas with a reliable and sufficient amount of
rainfall

Planting depth: Good emergence from depth of 5-20 mm
than surface or dipper than 20 mm
Tef germinates and establishes faster on Andosols than
on Vertisols


7. Past research recommendations….(cont’d)

Seed rate: 15-50 kg of seeds are sown/ha under
different conditions

25-30 kg/ha seeds are recommended for broadcast
sowing

Could be done with lower seed rate if a manually or motordriven broadcaster or drill is available.

8. Past research recommendations….(cont’d)

Fertilizer application: Systematic studies on the fertilizer
requirements of tef under varying conditions and in
various regions need further investigation

60kgN and 26kgP2O5 (Vertisols) and 40kgN and 26kg
P2O5kg per ha (Andosols)

Weeding: It is best to start with a weed-free and clean
field and with clean tef seeds

Hand-weeding once at early tillering stage is ideal and
adequate, if the weed population is low

Second weeding at stem-elongation stage should be done
if the infestation is high

9. Past research recommendations….(cont’d)

Pre-sowing and post-emergence herbicides available for
the control of weeds

Weed competition causes about 52% crop losses
In
general, the use of improved and appropriate agronomic
practices and cropping systems would greatly contribute to
overcoming production constraints and improving the
productivity of tef.

10. 2. Results of two seasons experiments
No.
Activities
Methodology
Location
1
Sowing method and RCBD, with 3 rep& 12
seed rate trial
entry, plot=9m2
3
2
Planting method
RCBD with 3 rep & 10
entry, plot size =9m2
3
3
Planting depth &
row spacing
RCBD with 3 rep & 12
entry, plot size=9m2
1
4
Spacing by hill
planting trial
RCBD with 3rep & 12
entry plot size=9m2
1

11. 2.1. Sowing method by seed rate
 No
significant differences among the treatment
combinations observed for all traits assessed
 Although
not significantly different, row sowing with
20 cm row spacing at 20 kg/ha of seed rate resulted in
the highest grain yield (2.6 t) followed by 25 kg/ha
row sowing (2.5 t/ha)
 Broadcasting
at 25kg/ha gave the highest shoot
biomass yield (17.4 t/ha)

12. Table 1. Sowing methods by seed rate at Debre Zeit during the 2011-2013 main season( combined over two
years)
PAL
Lodging
index
Shoot Biomass
(Kg/ha)
Grain
Yield(Kg/ha)
46.83
45.77
48.63
49.07
48.13
49.27
45.2
49
49.37
48.63
49.03
49.1
109.03
105.93
116.87
115.3
115.2
112.07
105.9
113.47
115.57
116.6
118.87
115.2
68.83
56
64.33
71.17
73.83
73.83
68.67
64.5
69.83
76
75.33
70.83
8861
8079
13625
14694
16824
17375
7255
10542
14069
16111
16810
16727
1709.6
1701.5
2398
2397.2
2467.4
2364.8
1403.2
1754.5
2343.9
2411.5
2622.4
2528.3
48.37
48.02
114.29
112.37
69.03
69.83
13711.42
13117.29
2267
2083.09
Means of seed rates( over all sowing methods )treatments
2.5
106
48.85
5
106
47.17
10
105
48
15
105
48.47
20
106
48.02
25
106
48.67
Mean
106
48.19
SEM(±)
0.51
0.35
LSD (P = 0.05)
0.0722
0.9242
115.98
111.93
112.45
111.05
113.02
115.57
113.3
0.91
0.9054
68.58
73.25
70.75
68.67
64.00
71.33
69.43
1.3
0.1910
14562.51
13664.35
12312.5
11641.21
12923.61
15381.94
13414.35
727.84
0.8792
2365.1
2190.75
2110.83
2084.35
2013.7
2286.4
2175.19
79.94
0.9966
CV
6.24
14.84
27.75
23.71
Treatments
Sowing methods
DTM
Seed
rate(kg/ha)
Broad casting
2.5
105
5
106
10
106
15
106
20
105
25
106
Row sowing
2.5
106
5
105
10
106
15
105
20
105
25
106
Means of sowing method(over all Seed rats)
Broad casting
106
Row sowing
105
1.41
PH
6.08

13. Sowing method by seed rate

14. Row planted and not lodged
Row planted and partly lodged

15. 2.2. Planting method experiment
 Uniform
seed rate of 5 kg/ha for broadcasting and row
sowing and 3 seeds/hill for hill planting
 Significant
differences were observed for Shoot biomass
and grain yield

Row sowing with 10 cm row spacing at 5 kg/ha seed rate
showed the highest grain yield and shoot biomass

Transplanting (20cm b/n rowsx15cm b/n plant) showed
the lowest lodging index values (Table15)

16. 2.2. Planting method experiment
Treatment
LOGI
SB kg/ha
Broadcasting @ 5 kg/ha
RS@5with 20 cm row spacing
RS@5with 15 cm row spacing
RS@5with 10cm row spacing
Hill planting (3seeds)(20cm x 20cm)
Hill planting (3seeds) (20 cm x 15cm)
Hill planting (3seeds)(20cm x10 cm)
64.83
72.33
67.50
71.33
64.00
59.5
65.00
16903
19653
17273
21861
8495
6440
9870
Gy
(kg/ha)
2489.8
2440.6
2320.0
2621.3
1505.7
1344.6
1613.3
Transplanting (20cmb/n rowsx10cm b/n plant)
49.00
15468
2208.9
Transplanting (20 cm b/n rows x15cm b/n plants)
Transplanting (20cmb/nrowsx20cm b/n plants)
LSD P(0.05)
CV %)
SEM (±)
Mean
46.33
56.33
0.0342
20.77
2.03
61.62
13532
12722
<0.0001
37.33
1169.31
14221.76
2236.9
2181.7
0.0001
23.47
84.36
2096.28

17. Results of Planting Method Experiment

18. Lodging incidence as affected by planting
methods

19. Early stage
Grain filling stage

20. 2.3. Planting depth and row spacing
Results:
 Uniform seed rate of 5 kg/ha was used.

No significant differences were observed for recorded traits
among treatment combinations.

Highest grain yields were obtained from treatment
combinations of
and highest
20 cm row spacing at 3 cm sowing depth
shoot biomass was obtained from treatment
combination of 10 cm row spacing at 3cm depth .

Regarding sowing depth, 0 cm and 3 cm appeared appropriate
but deeper sowing resulted in poor stand establishment

21. Table 3. Mean Lodging index ,and shoot biomass and grain yield of tef as affected by row
spacing and planting depth on black soil at Debre Zeit during the 2011-2013 main season
Treatments
Row Spacing
10
DTM
PAL
PLH
Lodging index
SB (Kg/ha)
GY (Kg/ha)
106.6
106.5
110.97
108.57
110.3
108.83
101.43
106.03
105.97
111.57
102.63
106.23
73.33
68.17
74.67
66.83
69.33
68
64.33
69.83
67.83
80.17
65.83
69.83
14620
15653
14093
13167
12736
13949
12394
13741
12685
12218
11417
10093
2277
1979.3
2149.6
2011.3
1866.7
1811.7
2130.4
2404.3
2291.9
1866.7
1712.6
1416.3
105.67
108.88
106.87
69.75
68.54
71.25
13100.69
13369.21
12721.06
2066.76
1925.00
1995.05
107.14
0.8
68.78
72.67
70.78
67.12
69.85
1.03
12396.60
13598.77
13473.77
12785.49
13063.66
907.83
1922.96
1973.77
2060.56
2025.12
1995.602
67.18
0.9196
5.87
0.41
10.68
0.9316
23.95
0.6983
25.84
Sowing Depth
0
104.33
46.1
3
104.33
44.9
5
103.17
47.53
15
0
104
45.8
3
104
47.43
5
104
45.37
20
0
103.83
45.07
3
104
47.5
5
104.67
45.97
25
0
104
45.63
3
104
46.03
5
104
45.17
Means of sowing depth(over all row –spacing)
0
104.25
45.58
3
103.96
46.06
5
103.88
46.48
Means of Row Spacing( over all Sowing depth )treatments
10
103.72
46.4
15
104.06
46.02
20
104.22
45.61
25
104.11
46.13
Mean
104..028
46.04
SEM(±)
0.33
0.32
LSD (P<0.05)
0.6864
0.1786
CV
1.29
5.85

22. Results of Row Spacing by Planting Depth

23. 2.4. Spacing trial for hill planting
Results:
 Statistically significant differences (P≤0.05) among
treatments were observed for lodging index, shoot
biomass and grain yield

Highest shoot biomass yield (10259 kg/ha) was obtained
from 10 cm row spacing by 5 cm intra-row spacing
treatment

15 cm row spacing X 5 cm and intra row spacing gave
highest (2965 kg/ha) grain yield compared to other
treatments.

24. Table 4. Mean lodging index, shoot biomass and grain yield of tef as affected by inter- and intra-row
spacing on black soil at Debre Zeit during the 2011/12 main season
Treatments
Inter-row spacing (cm)
10
15
20
Lodging index
Grain yield (kg/ha)
86.00
77.0
69.33
63.33
76.00
70.00
65.00
61.00
76.00
64.67
59.00
54.67
10259.2
8222.23
8851.80
7074.07
9777.70
8555.53
6333.30
7000.00
8851.83
8555.53
6814.80
5111.10
2685.20
2385.10
2608.13
2319.60
2965.20
2480.00
2115.57
2193.30
2207.70
2695.50
2098.17
1789.60
79.44
70.67
64.44
59.67
9629.92
8444.43
7333.32
6395.06
2686.04
2518.63
2273.96
2100.83
74.08
68.00
63.58
8601.85
7916.66
7333.32
2548.32
2438.52
2197.77
68.55
7.08
9.35
12.65
7950.60
1035.46
1368.08
15.95
2394.86
285.72
377.50
14.61
Intra-row spacing (cm)
5
10
15
20
5
10
15
20
5
10
15
20
Means of intra-row spacing (Over all inter-row spacings)
5
10
15
20
Means of inter-row spacing (Over all intra-row spacings)
10
15
20
Mean
SEM (±)
LSD (P< 0.05)
CV%
Shoot biomass (kg/ha)

25. Spacing Trial for Hill Planting

26. Tentative conclusion/recommendations

Row spacing: 20cm row spacing seems optimal for better
shoot biomass and grain yields as it allow carrying out
agronomic management practices such as weeding and
thinning. In addition, it gives enough room for better resource
utilization by plants avoiding competition.
- manually or motor-driven seed driller should be in
place
Planting depth: 0cm and 3cm appears acceptable depth
because going beyond 3cm depth could cause poor
germination due to failure of seedlings to emerge out from
deep soil.
 Seed rate: 10kg/ha is optimal


27. Advantages of row planting
Ease of management
 Reduced seed rate
 Efficient fertilizer utilization
 Contribution for reduced lodging incidence


28. Thank You