Research in the Klamath Basin
20 06 Annual Report
Evaluation of Teff Accessions For Improved Forage
Growth, Yield, and Nutritional Characteristics, 2006
Richard J. Roseberg and Brian A. Charlton 1
Introduction
As we described previously and elsewhere in this annual report, teff (Eragrostis
tef [Zucc.], Poaceae) is a warm season (C4) annual tropical grass that can produce good
quality forage during a short summer time frame, and thus has the potential to be a viable
crop choice when forage producers: a) desire a quick-growing, high quality mid-summer
annual forage; b) foresee less-than full season irrigation water supply; c) need an
emergency crop due to crop failure; or d) need a one-year forage rotation crop between
alfalfa stands. We began growing teff in a quasi-commercial field setting in 2003, and
began more rigorous testing of teff’s agronomic requirements in 2005 after
unprecedented response from a popular press article about our early efforts indicated
widespread national interest in this “new” alternative forage crop (Zenk, 2005; Roseberg
et al., 2006).
Despite the promising results seen thus far, there are very few commercially
available brands of teff seed. Much of the teff available in commerce are common
landraces, not released varieties, and thus have varying degrees of uniformity and
1
Associate Professor and Senior Faculty Research Assistant, respectively, Klamath Basin Research &
Extension Center, Klamath Falls, OR.
Acknowledgments: We wish to thank Vicki Bradley at the USDA-ARS, WRPIS for providing the teff
accession seed, as well as helpful information about the accessions and the USDA germplasm system.
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Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center
Evaluation of Teff Accessions For Improved Forage
Growth, Yield, and Nutritional Characteristics, 2006 Page 46
Research in the Klamath Basin
20 06 Annual Report
performance. Despite the genetically narrow and uneven commercial seed supply, the
USDA germplasm system contains many accessions collected from teff’s native habitat
in east Africa. These accessions include a wide range of plant morphological types, seed
color, and other characteristics. Until recently, most interest in teff has focused on its
qualities relative to the seed used in human food (mainly enjera, a staple of Ethiopian
cuisine), but not its forage qualities. Because of this lack of germplasm evaluation and
varietal development, we decided to begin a multi-year evaluation of teff accessions to
evaluate the range of yield, quality, and morphological factors available, with the goal of
selecting improved cultivars for possible release as commercial varieties.
Objective
Evaluate the available accessions of teff with a goal of documenting forage
growth, yield, and quality parameters, with the eventual goal of selecting and possibly
releasing improved teff cultivars to the commercial market.
Procedures
Small samples (250 seeds each) of 367 teff accession were obtained from the
USDA-ARS, Western Region Plant Introduction Station in Pullman, WA. Each accession
was seeded separately in a single 5 ft long row, with each accession separated from others
by 3 ft on both sides and both ends of each seeded row. The teff was seeded on June 14
with a single row, hand-operated V-belt planter set to plant the seed about ¼ inch deep.
Four named teff seed brands and two experimental brands that we grew in the concurrent
variety trial were seeded in the same way as the other numbered accessions to provide a
comparison with commercially available seed types. On June 15, Solution 32 liquid
fertilizer was applied through the irrigation water at a rate of 50 lb/acre N. Weedmaster®
herbicide (dicamba + 2,4-D amine, BASF) was applied at 1.0 pint/ac on July 10, thus
applying dicamba at 0.125 lb ai/ac plus 2,4-D at 0.36 lb ae/ac. No crop injury was
apparent at any time after spraying. On July 10, dry ammonium sulphate fertilizer was
surface-applied to the area at 400 lb/ac, supplying 84 lb N/ac. A total of 17.4 inches of
irrigation was applied on 16 dates between June 15 and Aug. 30. Rainfall amounts totaled
0.11 inch in May, 0.35 inch in June, 0.01 inch in July, 0.28 inch in August, and 0 inch in
September. Observations on emergence and early seedling vigor were recorded in late
June.
Observations on plant height, growth habit (upright or prostrate), leaf width, and
lateness/earliness of seedhead formation were recorded in mid-August and midSeptember. For each accession, a one-foot section of the row was cut at two-inch height
on Sept. 8 to provide and estimate of dry matter production. After drying and weighing,
samples were ground to 2-mm-sieve size in a Wiley Mill (Arthur H. Thomas Co.) and to
1-mm-sieve size in an Udy Mill (UDY Corporation) before being analyzed in a near
infrared spectrophotometer (NIRS) (NIRSystems, FOSS, NA, Minneapolis, MN) to
determine forage quality. Quality testing at KBREC is accomplished using the NIRS and
equations developed by the NIRS Consortium, Madison, WI. Calculated forage quality
parameters included crude protein (CP), total digestible nutrients (TDN), relative feed
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Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center
Evaluation of Teff Accessions For Improved Forage
Growth, Yield, and Nutritional Characteristics, 2006 Page 47
Research in the Klamath Basin
20 06 Annual Report
value (RFV) and relative forage quality (RFQ). We used NIRS equations developed for
other grasses due to the limited data available for teff.
Results & Discussion
The NIRS quality analysis produced the following observations on the population:
CP ranged from 23.0 to 12.8, with 68 accessions at 20.0 or above. TDN ranged from 61.6
to 53.0, with 6 accessions at 60.0 or above. RFV ranged from 127.4 to 93.7, with 12
accessions at 120.0 or above. RFQ ranged from 125.0 to 94.8, with 9 accessions at 120.0
or above. Although we did calculate a forage yield estimate, these values are
questionable since they are based on a one-foot length of a single plated row. While these
yield values were not used as an independent selection screen, they were used to confirm
whether the other screens seemed to accurately reflect superior-looking plant types.
In terms of growth characteristics, each factor was rated on a scale of one, two, or
three, with three being the most desirable rating for each factor. We decided that the most
desirable plant traits were tall (height), fine (stem & leaf width), erect (growth habit), and
late-maturing (delayed seedhead formation). Only two of the 367 accessions were tall,
fine, and erect (earning a rating of “3” in each category), and those two were among the
earliest to express seed heads, and both had fairly low RFV and CP. Since no accessions
were superior for all factors, we created a selection list for further evaluation in 2007 by
comparing the RFV and CP values for all entries that expressed a “3” rating in at least
one category, along with at least a “2” rating in one other category.
Of all the accessions that passed this initial morphology screen, and were also
reasonably late in maturing, approximately 80 also had among the upper 40% of either
CP or RFV values of all accessions. In addition, we retained the 10 accessions having the
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Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center
Evaluation of Teff Accessions For Improved Forage
Growth, Yield, and Nutritional Characteristics, 2006 Page 48
Research in the Klamath Basin
20 06 Annual Report
nine highest CP and eight highest RFV values that had not been retained by the other
criteria to make sure we included entries with excellent quality values in the next round
of selection regardless of their other growth characteristics. We also retained five
accessions that did not qualify based on the criteria listed above, but because they
expressed unusual red, purple, green, or black colors on the stems, leaves, or seed heads.
These accessions have potential use as ornamental grasses.
Conclusions
There was wide variation in growth characteristics, forage quality, and plant color
among the accessions. Some of them seemed to have growth and quality characteristics
that were superior to seed brands that are currently available on the commercial market.
While there were no accessions that were clearly superior in all factors measured, a
careful evaluation of the factors resulted in selection of a list that were at least “better
than average” for most (or all) parameters measured. We plan to re-select from this
superior group of accessions in 2007 using new, pure seed from the WRPIS since we
were not able to save uncontaminated seed of more than a few accessions in 2006. In
early 2007 we requested additional seed of the accessions that met our screening criteria
as described above, but due to limited seed of some accessions at the WRPIS, we ended
up deciding to seed 73 entries for a new selection trial in 2007.
References
Roseberg, R.J., S. Norberg, J.E. Smith, B.A. Charlton, K.A. Rykbost, and C. Shock.
2006. Yield and quality of teff forage as a function of varying rates of applied
irrigation and nitrogen. In: Research in the Klamath Basin 2005 Annual Report.
OSU-AES Special Report 1069:119-136.
2005. Zenk, Peg. Tons of teff. Hay & Forage Grower. February 2005. p.4.
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Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center
Evaluation of Teff Accessions For Improved Forage
Growth, Yield, and Nutritional Characteristics, 2006 Page 49