Abstract

Geteneh Mitku*

ABSTRACT

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most important staple food crops grown in the highlands of Ethiopia and believed to have been cultivated in Ethiopia as early as 3000BC (Hailu and Leur, 1996). In the main season (Meher, Amharic version), it is the fifth major cereal crop after maize, sorghum, tef and wheat in terms of area coverage and total production (CSA, 2013). RWA is a significant pest problem in many areas in the world (Anna-Maria et al., 2003). In the Belg season, many farmers in Ethiopia have stopped growing barley. It is major insect that reduces barley yields, and it has a worldwide distribution including the Middle East, USA, South Africa, and Ethiopia. In Ethiopia infestations are particularly serious in the highlands where the climate is cool and barley is sown during late April to early May.