A study was carried out with the objectives to screen/evaluate biomass yield potential of Lablab purpureus accessions under rain-fed condition in Tanqua Abergelle district, Tigray, Ethiopia. The experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design with eight treatments and three replications. The treatments were dolichos lablab, lablab accessions 7278, 10979, 147, 507, 11640, 6526 and 7319 for T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 and T8, respectively. Days to 50% flowering and maturity were significantly highest (p< 0.0001) for T1, T5 and T7 and then followed by T2 and T4, respectively. Plant height at 50% flowering was significantly higher (p< 0.0001) for T5, T7 and T2 than T1, T3, T4, T6 and T8. The leaf fraction DM and total forage DM yields were significantly highest (p<0.0001) for T7, T5 and T2 followed by T1. The total forage DM yield per ha were 4.02, 4.39, 2.17, 3.40, 4.74, 3.21, 4.48 and 2.96 tones for T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 and T8, respectively. There were no significance differences for leaf to stem ratio among the treatments. The CP content of T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 and T8 were 193.4, 194.4, 163.9, 168.4, 189, 155.7, 201.8 and 173 g/kg DM, respectively. Significantly highest (p<0.0001) seed yield were obtained from T6 and T3 followed by T4 and T8. Taking in consideration the forage DM yield and quality in term of CP content, it is recommended that smallholder livestock producers can alternatively cultivate lablab accessions 6526, 507, 7278 and Dolichos lablab for production of higher forage biomass with relatively better CP content. But, lablab accessions 6526, 507, 7278 and Dolichos lablab had longer maturity stage and for the purpose of adequate seed yield they should be supported by irrigation.

Keywords: Crude protein, days to 50% flowering, dolichos lablab, leaf DM yield, total forage DM yield.