Table 2 Local names of barley varieties cited by farmers, along with their meanings, seed color, number of rows, and summary of farmers preferred and non-preferred traits

Misha district in Hadiya Zone/Hadiya

1. Awodo

106

2

White

Means poor people milk to indicate that it is used as a milk substitute its white kernel color

High nutritional value, has sweet taste

Late mature, low yield, difficult to dehull

2. Du’uyya

98

6

Black

Named to indicate rounded short spike with black seed

Early mature, high yield, hull less

Does not have good taste

3. Nazena

78

2

Black

Named to indicate good flavor and tasty

Provides strength and energy, good flavor, tasty, hull less and has medicinal value (used to treat animals to relieve from tapeworm)

Late mature, low yield

4. Gibrin-So’o Yebira-Gebis (improved)*

69

6

White

Means that the farmers obtained it from agricultural office

High yield and easy to dehull

–

5. Anishicho

17

2

Black

Meaning harmless to indicate awn less spikelet

Early mature and has medicinal value (to release the remains after birth)

–

6. Heemach-Wongara

14

2

Light- gray

Named to indicate no need of labor to dehull with black color and large seed

Early mature, high yield, hull-less, sweet taste

–

7. Qadal-Wongara

14

2

Light- yellow

Named to indicate easily for dehull with white color and large seed

Hull-less, sweet taste

–

8. Gorxena

8

2

Brown

Named to indicate it is not easily digestible

Hull-less, provides strength when eaten

Late mature, low yield

9. Caanfo’o

3

Irregular

Gray

Named to indicate irregular of rows

–

Low yield

10. Calqo’o

3

6

Black

Named to indicate curved spike with large seed size

Early mature, high yield

–

11. Heemach-Xa’maja

2

6

Black

Named to indicate its black seed color that make discomfort in stomach

Hull-less

–

12. Gardaama

2

6

Light- yellow

Meaning cave honey to indicate medicinal value and too thick during preparation

Has medicinal value (maintain the broken bone)

Hull and difficult to dehull

13. Giraaryya

1

6

Black

Meaning Acacia like named to indicate hard awn

High yield, hull less

–

14. Sheme'e

1

2

Black

Named to indicate thin seed size

–

Low yield

15. Gooficho

1

6

Black

To indicate origin from Gofa zone

Early mature, high yield

Less sweet

16. Olika

1

6

Black

To refer long spike and large seed size

High yield

–

17. Hagala

1

6

Gray

Named to indicate undifferentiated or multi-color seed

–

Low yield, less sweet

18. Yebira-Gebis (improved)*

1

6

Light- yellow

Name to refer as it is used for beer making

High yield

Low energy value

19. Kashar-Xa'maja

1

6

Light- yellow

Named to indicate its light yellow seed that discomfort stomach

Hull-less

–

20. Qadal-Du'uyya

1

6

White

Named to indicate rounded short spike with white seed

–

Low yield

21. Timibra

1

6

White

Means spike covered by additional husk

Sweet, hull less

–

22. Mirt-Tenfis

1

6

White

Named to refer high amount of yield

High yield

–

Gumer district in Gurage zone/Gurage

23. Jimua-Tikur

87

6

Black

Name to refer short spike with black seed color

Early mature, high yield drought tolerant, disease resistant

Low market demand

24. Shege (improved)**

81

6

White

Name to refer long spike

Long spike, high yield, high market demand

Less food quality

25. Nech-Senef

62

2

Yellow

Named to mean ‘lazy white barley’

Long kernel, high market value, easy to dehull

Require fertile soil, low yield, susceptible to disease

26. Awodo

56

2

White

Named to refer bright white kernel color

White seed color, best food quality

Intermediate yield

27. Chifeye-Awedo

40

2

White

Named to refer kernel is covered by an additional husks

White seed color, best food quality, medicinal

Intermediate yield

28. Tikur-Senef

17

2

Black

Named to mean ‘ lazy black barley’

Long kernel, easy to dehull

Low yield, low market demand, susceptible to disease

29. Yebira-Gebis

12

2

White

Name to refer as it is used for beer making

High yield, high market demand

Seed high cost

30. Chelko-Tikur

12

6

Black

Named to refer to long spike with black seed color

Early mature, drought tolerant, disease resistant, high yield, long spike

Shattering problem, low market demand

31. Jimua-Nech

2

6

White

Named to refer short spike with white seed color

Early mature, high yield

Low market demand due to low food quality

32. Nech-Temezhe

1

2

White

Named to refer white hulled kernel

Early mature, easy for dehull

Low yield, low food quality

33. Tikur-Temezhe

1

6

Black

Named to refer black hulled kernel

Early mature, easy for dehull

Low yield, less food quality

34. Keleme

1

6

White

Named to refer small sized kernel

Sweet taste, easy for dehull

Disease susceptible, low market demand

35. Shemeya

1

2

Purplish red

Named to refer purplish red kernel color

Medicinal value, disease resistant, drought tolerant

Late mature, low yield, low demand

36. Wesabo

1

6

Gary

Named to indicated variegated color (black and white)

Drought tolerant, high yield, disease resistant

Low market demand due to its gray seed color

37. Shehabdo/Dirgim efis

1

6

White

Named to refer many yield

High yield, long spike

Low market demand due to low food quality

Hetosa district in Arsi zone/Oromo

38. Walia

25

6

White/Back

Named to reflect the endemicity as Walia Ibex

Short plant height and short spikes

Susceptible to drought and cold

39. Kabe

19

6

White

Named after the person ‘Kabe’

Short spike and tolerant to lodging

Small sized low quality seeds

40. Wolkari

10

2

White

To refers it is an improved variety

Short spikes, short plant height, tolerant to lodging

Susceptible to drought and cold

41. Eboni

9

2

White

Improved and high yield barley

Short plant height, short spikes

Low seed quality, drought susceptible to

42. Miskali

6

2

White

Improved and high yield

Long plant height, long spikes, good flour

Susceptible to drought and cold

43. Tesfaye

5

6

Purple

Named after the person ‘Tesfaye’

Long spike, drought tolerant

Low seed quality, low market demand

44. Garbu-Guracha

3

6

Black

Named to show its being black color

Long spikes, cold tolerant

Low market demand due to its seed color

45. Aruso-Guracha-Rogmale

3

Irregular

Black

specify its origin ‘Arsi’ with its black color and irregular row

Long spikes, tolerant to drought, good flour quality

Low market demand due to its seed shape

46. Aruso-Magala-Rogmale

3

Irregular

Brown

Named to specify its origin ‘Arsi’ with its purple color and Irregular row

Long spike, resistant to drought and cold, good flour quality

Low yield, low market demand due to its seed shape

47. Kate-Adi

2

2

White

Named to show its seed looks line wheat seed

Short plant height, tolerant to lodging

Low yield

48. Aruso-Adi-Bate

2

2

White

Secify its origin ‘Arsi’, whitish color and 2 rows

Tolerant to stress, good flour quality

Low yield

49. Abola

1

2

White

–

Long plant height, large spike, large seed size,

Low food quality

50. Achachi-Bera

1

2

White

Given to reveal its stunted plant height and its end-use

Short plant height, good flour quality

Susceptible to drought and cold stress, low quality

51. Akalas

1

2

White

Given to show it withstands lodging

Short plant height, drought tolerant

Low seed quality and low yield

52. Abdo

1

6

White

Named after the person ‘Abdo’

Small seed size, short plant height,

Low yield, needs fertile soils

53. Aruso-Guracha-Bate

1

6

White

specify its origin ‘Arsi’ with its black color and two row

Small seed size, short plant height,

Low yield, needs fertile soils

54. Aruso-Magala-Bate

1

2

Brown

Refers its origin ‘Arsi’ with its purple color, two row

Long spike, resistant to drought and cold, good flour quality

Low yield and low market demand

55. Aruso-Guracha- Diribi

1

6

Black

Refers its origin ‘Arsi’ with its black color and six row

Long spikes, tolerant to drought, good flour quality

Low market demand due to its seed color

56. Feresgama

1

6

Brown

Named to show its short plant and spikelet length

Short plant height, tolerant to lodging

Low market demand due to its small sized seed

57. Garbu-Guracha-Rogmale

1

irregular

Black

Named to show its black color and its irregular row

Have long spikes, resist to cold stress

Low market demand due to its black seed color

58. Garbu-Guracha-Bate

1

2

Black

Named to show its black color and its two row

Have long spikes, resist to cold stress

Low market demand due to its black seed color

59. Jilcha-Adi-Rogmale

1

irregular

White

Given to reveal its difficulty digestion and its white color

Large spike, tolerant to lodging due to its short height

Low food quality and market demand, difficult for digestion

60. Jilcha-Magala-Bate

1

2

Brown

Given to reveal its difficulty digestion and its brown color

Large spike, tolerant to lodging due to its short height

Low food quality and market demand, difficult for digestion

61. Jilcha-Guracha-Bate

1

2

Black

Given to reveal its difficulty digestion and its black color

large spike, seed size and plant height, tolerant to lodging

Low food quality and market demand, difficulty for digestion

62. Karamba

1

irregular

Brown

–

Large spike, good flour quality

Low yield

63. Luka’a-Guacha (Tikur-Senef)

1

6

Black

Named to mean it is easy to dehull and its black seed color

Long spikes

Low yield

64. Luka’a-Adi (Nechi-Senef)

1

6

White

Named to mean it is easy to dehull and its whitish color

Long spikes, mainly used for roasted barley

Low yield

65. Damoye

1

2

Purple

Named to reflect its being spiky

Many spikes

Low yield, prefers fertile soil

66. Shamame

1

2

Brown

Named to show its hard seeds

Drought, cold and lodging tolerate, has good tillers

requires fertile soil, low yield, low seed quality, low market demand

67. Samareta

1

irregular

White

Named to reflect its attractive whitish-purple seed color

Large spike, seed size, and plant height, susceptible to lodgings

Low seed quality

68. Shege

1

6

White

Used to refers it is an improved variety

High yield, high market demand

Less seed quality