Seed quality is crucial for the success of crop production, as it affects germination capacity, emergence potential, and seedling growth. This study investigated the impact of extended stor-age on the germination capacity, oleoresin and essential oil contents of black cumin seeds from three black cumin varieties in Ethiopia: "Aden", "Dershaye", and "Darbera". Seeds were stored for up to three years, and germination studies were conducted using a Completely Randomized De-sign. Results showed that storage period significantly affected various germination parameters, with a decrease in germination percentage observed with increasing storage period. However, variety and the interaction between storage period and variety had no statistically significant effect on germination percentage. The study also provides valuable insights into the correlations between different germination indices. Additionally, as black cumin seeds age, their oleoresin and essential oil contents decrease across all three varieties. Proper seed storage practices are essential in maintaining the germination potential of black cumin seeds, particularly over ex-tended storage periods. Overall, this study provides insights into the impact of extended seed storage on black cumin seed quality and germination potential, highlighting the importance of proper seed management practices to support sustainable crop production.

A field experiment was carried out in the meher season (July–November 2021 and 2022) at Kulumsa, Southeastern Ethiopia. Genetic diversity study among the available genetic resources is the most important step in improving crops through selection or hybridization. The aim of this study is to determine the magnitude of diversity among Ethiopian fenugreek accessions based on morpho-agronomic traits. Twenty-eight Ethiopian fenugreek accessions were arranged in a 4×7 alpha lattice design with three replicates. Fifteen morpho-agronomic traits of the fenugreek accessions showed highly significant differences (p≤0.01)) in the pooled analysis of variance. The first three principal components contributed 83.1% of the genotypic variation. The number of fertile pods plant-1, days to 50% flowering, number of primary branches plant-1, seed yield and number plant-1, and plant height are the most contributing characters for the total variation. The accessions were clustered into three; the first, second, and third accounted for 11, 6, and 11 accessions, respectively. Accessions grouped under cluster I was characterized by a late grain-filling period, a high primary branches plant-1, a long pod length, and a higher number of seeds plant-1. The second cluster accessions were early emerging but flowered and matured late, with short pod length and low yielders; however, cluster III accessions were high yielders, with higher fertile pods, seeds, and seed yield plant-1. The highest inter-cluster distances were observed between the I and III and I and II clusters. The first cluster was mostly responsible for the particularly heterotic returns and segregants that might result from hybridization between accessions included in this cluster. The findings have practical implications for breeding programs and stakeholders who are going to exploit the advantage of each accession in each cluster. The phenotypic and genotypic correlation, direct and indirect effects of the traits and the genetic variability and advance from selection for those accessions needs to be checked for inclusion in the next breeding program.

The goal of potato breeding is to develop widely adaptable, highly productive cultivars that farmers would prefer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and stability of potato varieties linking the preferences of smallholder farmers in rain-fed and irrigated environments. Using a randomized complete block design in three replicates, twelve potato cultivars were assessed in 10 settings in Southeast Ethiopia during the Meher and Belg seasons in 2019 and 2020. The environments, genotypes, and GEI all revealed significant differences (p<0.001) in the pooled analysis of the variance of tuber yield. The tuber yield variances for GEI, environment, and genotypic impacts were 15.48%, 7.61%, and 59.49% explained by the AMMI analysis, respectively. The environments were grouped into three distinct categories. A total of 99.6% of the variance was the cumulative contribution of PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4, and PC5 sharing 80.8%, 11.3%, 4.3%, 2.2%, and 1.0%, respectively High-yielding and widely adapted were Gera, Gudanie, Bubu, Belete, Shenkolla, Guassa, and Maracharre varieties, according to the AMMI, BLUP, GGE biplot, and WAAS. However, dynamic types that were particularly affected by environmental variations include Jalenie, Dagim, Gorebella, Awash, and Zemen. A stability measure of metric and preference based on various traits identified Gudanie and Guassa varieties. The scores of the small holder farmers were consistent throughout the test environments. The canonical correlation analysis indicated the significant association between the metric traits collected by the breeder and the small- holder farmer preferences. The study provides baseline data for potato breeding, and the varieties must be evaluated in the nation's mega-environments for additional recommendations. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 14(2): 85-98, December 2024