Evaluation of Barley Genotypes for their Resistance against Barley Shoot Fly, Delia flavibasis Stein (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) in South Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is globally an important cereal crop, mainly used for food, animal feed and brewing. In Ethiopia, it is the fifth most important cereal crop after teff, wheat, maize and sorghum both in terms of area covered and production. In spite of the importance of barley, its productivity and production has remained low. Barley shoot fly (Delia flavibasis Stein) has been a major constraint to barley production at the seedling stage among other insect pests. Infestation levels of up to 100% of D. flavibasis and significant yield losses on susceptible barley cultivars were frequently reported in the highlands of Bale, Ethiopia. Host plant resistance is one of the most effective methods in managing this insect pest. Resistance to barley shoot fly is governed by complex traits that derived from biophysical or morphological and/or genetic characters of the plant.