Effect of Weeding Frequency on Yield an Yield Components of Food Barley (Horduem vulgare L.) Varieties at Amuru District, Horo Guduru Wollega Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia

An experiment was conducted to identify better performing food barley cultivar at Amuru District of Horo Guduru Wollega Zone of Oromia National Regional State of Ethiopia in 2016 main cropping season. The experiment was laid down in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments were factorial combination of four weeding frequencies (weedy check, one time weeding, two times weeding and three times weeding) and five food barley cultivars (HB 1307, CROSS 41/98, GOBE, EH1493 and Local). Yield and yield components of barley including spike length, thousand kernel weight, grain yield and biological yield were significantly influenced by main effect of variety and weeding frequency. However, number of productive tillers, kernels per spike, and harvest index were significantly influenced by interaction effect of variety and weeding frequency. HB 1307 variety gave significantly higher grain yield (1292 kgha 1) than the other four barley cultivars. Three times weeded treatment gave significantly higher grain yield (1422kgha 1) followed by two times weeded (1000kgha 1), one times weeded (644 kgha 1) and weedy check (511kgha 1). Three times weeding of barley is the optimal weeding frequency and use of HB 1307 variety is better to increases grain yield in the area. However, need to be developing site specific varieties to the study area as the yield of improved varieties less performed.