DEVELOPING ELITE DURUM-WHEAT LANDRACE SELECTIONS (COMPOSITES) FOR ETHIOPIAN PEASANT FARM USE - RAISING PRODUCTIVITY WHILE KEEPING DIVERSITYALIVE

The Ethiopian peasant farms are characterized by highly varied micro-e nvironments differing in characteristics such as topography, soil type , water, temperature and fertility. The bulk of the durum wheat planti ng material currently in use on these farms is largely represented by traditional farmers' varieties/landraces. These traditional farmers' v arieties/landraces generally, are stable but low yielding, and often f ail to adequately meet the level of productivity essential for product ion beyond subsistence level, unless they are enhanced to improve thei r competitiveness with modern varieties in respect to yield. Improving the productivity of landraces, while maintaining an appreciable level of genetic diversity is crucial to yield stability. This could be ach ieved by developing composites that are formed by bulking together thr ee or more potentially high yielding spikes (agrotypes) that vary for various morphologic and agronomic characteristics, but due to their si milarity in plant height, maturity, glume color and seed color give th e composite a uniform field appearance like a modern variety.