Registration of “Robera” a newly released food barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) variety for highland altitude areas of Ethiopia

Six-rowed food barley, Robera (ACC.218956) was developed by Sinana Agricultural Research Center (SARC), Southeastern Oromia region, Ethiopia. The variety was selected from landrace line collection and released in 2016 for high altitude areas. This variety tested for two consecutive years (2013-2014) at 3 environments and proved its superiority in grain yield performance, stability and wide adaptation. This variety is characterized by early maturity, white seed color, has good physical grain quality, resistance to leaf rust and scald, moderate resistance to net blotch, moderate tolerance to barley shoot fly, lodging tolerance and good biomass yield. The variety’s demonstration and seed multiplication is underway. Therefore, cultivation of the new variety in the higher altitude areas of major barley growing environments of the country is highly recommended.