Exploring the phenotypic diversity of Eragrostis tef for biomass and grain production under optimum growth conditions

• DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1538510
• Publication Date: 2025-03-17T07:20:21Z
• Authors: Mitiku Asfaw Meng...; Won Cheol Yim; Juan K. Q. Solomon; John C. Cushman
• Keywords: Eragrostis

Tef or Teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter)] is a C4 photosynthesis tropical grass species within the Poaceae valued for its high-quality forage, fodder, and highly nutritious, gluten-free grain while showing great potential as bioenergy crop due to high biomass productivity climate resilience. Here, we document extensive phenotypic diversity of 368 E. accessions United States Department Agriculture (USDA)-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) national germplasm collection. Two morphological (e.g., panicle morphology seed color) 11 quantitative agronomic including fresh weight, dry straw yield, harvest index, plant height, length, tiller count, floret hundred-seed area) traits were characterized under idealized growth conditions. Five major forms identified very loose, semi-loose, compact, and, which present in 24%, 25%, 18%, 8% accessions, respectively. Accessions with compact panicles showed highest production whereas loose counts, indices. White-seeded more numerous (55%) than brown-seeded (45%) white seeds being common semi-loose brown forms. Correlation analysis revealed positive associations among height was well yield index. Hundred-seed weight positively correlated area, length. Principal component contributors (72.6%) total trait variation. Hierarchical agglomerative clustering five distinct groups based upon traits. These data provide an invaluable resource genome-wide association studies, stratified sampling, parental line selection ongoing breeding programs.