Journal of Plant Studies; Vol. 4, No. 2; 2015 ISSN 1927-0461 E-ISSN 1927-047X Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 42 Registration of ‘AMBERICHO’ a Newly Released Field Pea (Pisum sativum L) Variety for the Southern Highlands of Ethiopia Yayis Rezene 1 , Fitsum Alemayehu 2 , Fikadu Gurmu 2 , Fisseha Negash 1 , Bahilu Banteyirgu 1 & Yasin Goa 1 1 Areka Agricultural Research Center P. O. Box 79 Areka, Ethiopia 2 Awassa Agricultural Research Center P. O. Box 06 Hawassa, Ethiopia Correspondence: Yayis Rezene, Areka Agricultural Research Center P. O. Box 79 Areka, Ethiopia. E-mail: rezene77@gmail.com Received: December 18, 2014 Accepted: April 6, 2015 Online Published: April 16, 2015 doi:10.5539/jps.v4n2p42 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jps.v4n2p42 Abstract Ambericho (IG-51664) with a large and white seeded field pea variety was selected and developed by Areka Agricultural Research Center, southern Ethiopia. This variety was selected from the regional variety trial tested together 15 other test genotypes including local and standard checks at 8 environments. Finally the variety was officially released for wider production in the southern highlands of Ethiopia. Keyword: Ambericho, variety, field pea 1. Introduction Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an annual climbing, herbaceous plant, showing very considerable variation in form and habit. It is probably originated in south-western Asia and has spread to the temperate zones throughout the world and is grown as a cool season crop in sub-tropics, and the higher altitude in the tropics. It requires a cool; not excessively cold climate, evenly distributed a rainfall of about 800-1000 mm/annual and cultivated in wide range of soil type with PH range 5.5-6.5 provided that the derange is good (Key, 1979). In Ethiopia field pea with other pulse covers a wide range of about 11-15% of the total 6-7 million hectares of the area and is the third most important staple food legume among the highland pulses (CSA, 2009). The estimated annual consumption of field pea per person in rural Ethiopia is 6kg in form of spilt, milled and unmilled (Asfaw et al., 1994). Field pea is nutritious food staff when fully matures and they are valuable food legume, often being ground in to flour and used extensively in the manufacture of soups. Fresh green peas are almost universally accepted as nutritious vegetable. Green peas are in fact the leading processed vegetables; a large quantities being grown for canning, freezing or dehydrating (Kay, 1979). Asfaw et al (1994) indicated that field pea is a ‘break’ crop with the cereal rotation, especially with barley and wheat, which serves to restore soil nitrates and minimize weeds, insects pest and disease of cereals. 2. Methodology Around 100 lines were acquired from Holetta Agricultural Research Center in 2002 and tested as nursery at Location Angacha for one year. Out of the tested lines of field pea 16 materials were screened for yield and agronomic traits in randomized complete block design in 2005 and 2006 in multi-location yield test within the southern region at Angacha, Hossana, Waka and Bule major pea growing areas. All the materials were evaluated together with local check and ‘Tegegnech’ standard check in a total of eight environments. The elite line with pedigree IG-51664 was named AMBERICHO after official release for commercial production by the national seed releasing committee. 3. AMBERICHO AMBERICHO is common name for the field pea variety with the pedigree name of IG-51664. It is developed and released by Areka Agricultural Research Center for major field pea growing areas of Southern Ethiopia. Ambericho was evaluated for two years (2004-2005) at Angacha, Hossana, Waka and Bulle stations and had better mean grain yield than the standard check. Ambericho was moderately tolerant to ascochyta blight and powdery mildew. It has creamy white seed coat colour with no black spot and with smooth round seed character. The result of multi-location trials showed that Ambericho had above-average grain yield performance across tested locations and years.