Study design/Study A

The experiment was carried out in the Ethiopian highlands at the ILRI Debre Zeit Research Station south of Addis Ababa at an altitude of 1850m above sea level (Van de Wouw et al., 1999). The area has an average annual rainfall of around 850 mm, of which 80% falls between June and September.

The 53 accessions were planted from stem cuttings in three replicates in 1.5 x 2.7 m plots, each replicate subdivided for ease of management into three blocks (see below), using 22 plants per plot with a spacing of 50 cm within rows and 60 cm between rows. The accessions were randomised to plots within each replicate (see next page).

The plants were irrigated and allowed to grow undisturbed for one year. One hundred kg/ha N (as urea) was applied in a single application during the establishment period. Plant height of each accession was recorded and all plots were cut back to 20 cm at the start of the rains.