Pulses and improved lentil cultivars
Hope for Ethiopian farmers

Faba bean, lentil, field pea, chickpea, and grasspea are key sources of protein for Ethiopia’s population of 60 million. In 1983, Ethiopia produced 799,000 tonnes of these pulses (FAO/Agrostat 1984). In 1985, when famine struck, production had dropped to 539,000 tonnes. This reduction in available protein and calories had dire effects on Ethiopia’s rural population.
     Pulses are also an important part of the cropping system in Ethiopia. Grown in rotation with cereals— barley and tef (Eragrostis tef)—pulses help maintain soil health, nitrogen balance, and cropping system sustainability.
    Lentil is an important pulse in Ethiopia, used in many local preparations, including wot, a popular soup. Smallholder farmers grow lentil in rotation with cereals on vertisols at elevations up to 2600 meters above sea level (m asl). Due to increasing domestic demand, export potential, and high economic return, lentil production area increased from 48,000 ha in 1998/99 to 90,000 ha in 2000/01. Lentil productivity remains low, however, mainly due to cultivation of low-yielding, disease-susceptible landraces. The most important lentil diseases in Ethiopia are rust, caused by Uromyces fabae, and the wilt/root-rot complex. Water-logging, drought, poor agronomic management, and lack of improved technology also restrict lentil production.
    The lentil improvement program of the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization (EARO) has benefited from fruitful collaboration with ICARDA since the early 1980s. As part of the collaboration, ICARDA provides advanced lines and diverse genetic material to EARO through the Legume International Nursery Network.
    This cooperation has resulted in increased lentil production in Ethiopia, primarily through the release of improved varieties. To date, Ethiopia has released seven lentil varieties, of which five were derived from ICARDA-supplied material. The varieties are: ‘Chalew’ (ILL 358), ‘Chekol’ (ILL 2704), ‘Adaa’ (ILL 6027), ‘Gudo’ (ILL5748), and ‘Alemaya’ (ILL 6821). ‘Adaa’ and ‘Alemaya’ are highly resistant to the wilt root-rot complex. In addition, ‘Alemaya’ exhibits developmental and phenological plasticity, which has led to its adoption in diverse agro-climatic conditions. These varieties have yield potential of up to 2.6 t/ha.
    The new lines and improved agronomic management, such as proper seed rate, early sowing, broadbed-and-furrow planting, have helped increase average yield from 593 kg/ha in 1998 to 613 kg/ha.
    Efforts are being made to strengthen linkages between research, extension, farmers, and other participating partners to achieve more effective and faster dissemination of the technology. Focus is also on encouraging farmer-to-farmer seed supply and technology transfer systems.