10th U6+ Consortium of African Universities International Conference

Grain amaranth is a nutritionally valuable crop recognized for its adaptability across diverse agro-ecologies and its contribution to food security and income generation. This study evaluated the yield and yield-related parameters of 210 grain amaranth accessions sourced from Eldoret markets, alongside standard checks from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). Trials were conducted at the University of Eldoret (UOE) and KALRO-Kakamega using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications during two seasons: July–September 2023 and September–December 2023. Analysis of variance revealed that both site and accession significantly influenced key morphological traits. Branching was significantly affected by site and accession, with no significant interaction (CV=19.2%). The number of internodes, leaves, leaf length, and leaf width all exhibited significant site-by-accession interactions (P<0.001), indicating that accessions respond differently across environments. Terminal inflorescence dimensions, number of spikelets, and plant height similarly showed significant site, accession, and interaction effects. Grain yield was significantly influenced by site, accession, and their interaction (P<0.001; CV=22.2%). Mean grain yield per plant ranged from 8.82 g (GB 192) to 79.53 g (Accession 23). Seven accessions surpassed the best check variety (Accession 144 at 61.27 g), with Accession 23 recording the highest overall grain yield in both sites (UoE-89.87 g/plant KALRO Kakamega-69.2 g/plant, respectively), while GB 192 recorded the lowest yields across both locations. Mean grain yield was notably higher at UOE (45.94 g/plant) compared to KALRO-Kakamega (32.70 g/plant). The findings confirm that genotype-environment interactions significantly influence growth and yield traits in grain amaranth. The seven superior accessions represent promising candidates for variety development and can serve as parental lines in breeding programs aimed at enhancing grain amaranth production in Kenya.