Performance Evaluation of Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) Varieties in West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Linseed is the second most important oilseed crop and stands next to rapeseed-mustard in the area of cultivation and seed production in India. Every part of the linseed plant is utilized commercially, either directly or after processing. Linseeds are grown for the extraction of oil from the seeds. Linseed seeds contain high levels of dietary fiber. About 20% of the total linseed oil produced is used by farmers and the rest about 80% goes to industries for the manufacture of paints, varnish, oilcloth, linoleum, printing ink, etc. Despite the multiple uses of the crop in improving soil fertility and nutrient-rich food, there are no more improved varieties in the study areas. Thus, the study was carried out with the intention of evaluating, selecting, and recommending the well-performed linseed varieties to the study areas. Different linseed varieties (viz; Dibenne, Furtu, Kuma, Tolle, and Yadenno) were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications at three locations. The analysis of variance for an individual environment indicated that the total seed yield showed a significant difference at all test environments. The combined analysis of variance for the total seed yield also showed a significant difference amongst the cultivars. The mean seed yield values of the tested varieties averaged across the environments showed that the variety Kuma was found to have the best seed yield (2.07 ton/ha) as followed by the variety Furtu with its mean seed yield of 1.95 ton/ha. The varietal effect had contributed more in varying the total yield performance. Lin and Binns’ cultivar superiority measures for stability analysis identified the variety Kuma as the most stable variety. Generally, the variety Kuma was identified to be the most adaptable and the most stable variety as compared to the other tested varieties to the present ecology of study. Therefore, this variety has been recommended to the study areas so that the farmers of the area can use this variety.