@article{IJRAS-1076, author = "Delessa Angassa", abstract = "Genetic diversity assessment allows breeders to take advantage of existing genetic resources, which helps to improve agricultural yields and ensure food security. In the 2019 main cropping season, eighty barley accessions and three standard check types were tested for eight quantitative traits in Lemo Wereda Hadiya Zone of southern Ethiopia. The experiment was laid down in an augmented block design with three standard checks that were replicated in every block. Analysis of variance showed very significant differences (P0.01) between tested genotypes for days to 50% flowering and days to 75 % maturity, spike length, spikelets per spike, kernel per spike, and grain yield. Plant height and thousand grain weight also differed significantly (P0.05) between genotypes. The grain yield varies between 10.2 and 44.63 quintals per hectare. The highest grain yield was harvested from Awedo (check variety) and the lowest yield was from the farmers’ varieties accession 243590. Even though, the highest grain yield was measured from the one improved variety; 35 farmer’s varieties were able to produce higher grain yield than the Chefo improved variety. On the other hand, 65 farmer’s varieties were able to produce higher grain yield than the bira improved varieties. The principal component analysis indicated that the two principal components (PC1 to PC2) with eigenvalues ranged from 2.05 to 3.48 containing variability of 43.59% and 25.68% respectively. The genotypes were broadly grouped into four distinct clusters. The first cluster contains 38 (45.78%) genotypes including one improved variety. The second cluster was also constructed by 26 (31.33%) genotypes including two of the improved varieties. The third and fourth clusters comprises 11 (13.25%) and 8 (9.64%) genotypes, respectively. In general, the research revealed the farmers’ varieties accessions' hidden potential for increasing yield through the use of conserved germplasm.", issn = "23483997", journal = "IJRAS", keywords = "Cluster Analysis, Genetic Diversity, Principal Component Analysis, Quantitative Traits", month = "January", number = "1", pages = "1-10", title = "{M}ultivariate {A}nalysis of {V}ariability in {E}thiopian {B}arley ({H}ordeum {V}ulgare {L}.) {A}ccessions at {L}emo {W}ereda {H}adiya {Z}one, {S}outhern {E}thiopia", volume = "10", year = "2023", }