JJBS Volume 8, Number 4, December .2015 ISSN 1995-6673 Pages 281 - 286 Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences Effect of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Varieties on Yield Attributes at Sinana and Agarfa Districts of Bale Zone, Southeastern Ethiopia Ashenafi Mitiku 1* and Mekuria Wolde 2 Corresponding Author Email:- asnfmtk.mitiku@gmail.com 1,2 Madda Walabu University; School of Agriculture; Department of Plant Science P. O. Box 247, Bale Robe, Ethiopia Received: June 2, 2015 Revised: July 9, 2015 Accepted: July 27, 2015 Abstract Field experiments were conducted at Agarfa and Sinana Districts, south eastern part of Ethiopia with the objective of to evaluate high yielding faba bean varieties during the main cropping season of 2014. The following Eight improved faba bean varieties Mosisaa, Moti, Gebelcho, Hachalu, Shallo, Tumsa, Wolki and Degaga were used for evaluating their performance and the following data were recorded: effective tiller per plant, plant height, pods per plant, grain per pod, days to 90% physiological maturity, 100 grain weight, and grain yields were taken from the middle three rows and ten sample plants. The result revealed that there is a variation between the varieties for most yield and yield components. In both locations, maximum pods per plant were recorded from Degaga variety (20.39 and 22.6), whereas lowest number of pods were counted at Hachalu (12.46) and Tumsa (11.67) varieties at Agarfa site from Gebelcho variety (13.46) at Sinana experimental site. The maximum 100 grain weight was recorded from Gebelcho variety (94.33) at Sinana and Hachalu variety (80.33) at Agarfa experimental site. In both locations, the maximum harvesting index and grain yield were recorded at Shallo variety with 44.76%, 43.85% 4886.8 kg/ha and 4701.6 kg/ha at Agarfa and Sinana, respectively, while minimum grain yield was recorded from Hachalu and Moti varieties with 3436.2kg/ha and 3703.7kg/ha yield at Sinana and Agarfa district, respectively. Therefore, from the result we conclude that Shallo variety was performed good yield and recommended to the local farmers. Keywords: Faba bean varieties, Grain yield, yield attribute. 1. Introduction Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is also referred to as broad bean, horse bean and field bean and it is the fourth most important pulse crop in the world (Sainte, 2011). The crop has a multipurpose use and is consumed as dry seeds, green vegetable, or as processed food. Its products are a rich source of high-quality protein in the human diet, while its dry seeds, green haulm and dry straw are used as animal feeds (Sainte, 2011). Faba bean seeds are used for human nutrition. The grain of faba bean contains a high protein content of 24-33% (Winch, 2006). Faba bean varieties that are used for human nutrition belong to the V. faba major botanically whereas the V. faba minor and V. faba equina are botanical types used for animal feeding (Monti et al., 1991). Ethiopia is the world’s second largest producer of faba bean next to China; its share is only 6.96 % of world production and 40.5 % within Africa (Chopra et al., 1989). In Ethiopia, the average yield of faba bean under small-holder farmers is not more than 1.6 t ha-1 (CSA, 2013), despite the availability of high yielding varieties (> 2 t/ha) (MoA. 2011). Demand is growing, fuelled by rapid population growth, and the gap between supply and demand continues to increase (ICARDA, 2008). In Ethiopia, the faba bean production is primarily a rain-fed system and it is also reducing the poverty by, 3% for adopter households moved up at least one 'wealth class', while all non-adopters remained in the lowest class (ICARDA, 2008). Faba bean ranks first in pulse crop in the total area coverage and the total production of Ethiopia. It accounts about 36% of the country’s pulse production (IFPRI, 2010). Currently, the total area, under cultivation with faba bean in the country, is estimated to be about 0.54 million hectare and the total production is 696 million kilogram (MoARD, 2009). Oromia region is the largest (320 million kilogram quintal) faba bean producer in the country followed by Amhara region 250 million kilogram (CSA, 2011). The two regions together share about 85% of the country’s faba bean production. Due to its nitrogen fixing capacity, it is used in crop rotation with important cereal crops like wheat, teff, barley and other crops (IFPRI, 2010).