Soil acidity is the major production limiting factor of faba bean in the highlands of Ethiopia. Hence, this study was conducted to estimate genetic variability of faba bean genotypes on grain yield and related traits under soil acidity stress at Holetta, Watebecha Minjaro and Jeldu in 2017 cropping season. The experiment comprised 50 genotypes arranged in RCBD with three replications. Data were collected on grain yield and other agronomic traits: days to 50% flowering, days to 90% maturity, grain filling period, plant height, number of poding nodes/plant, number of pods/poding node, number of pods/plant, chocolate spot and 100-seeds weight. Analysis of variance for all traits showed significant differences (P<0.01) among genotypes, locations and their interaction except number of pods/poding node for the interaction. Computed genotypic (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) values were ranged from 1.08-23.05 and 1.20-23.26%, respectively, whereas heritability (H2) and genetic advance as percent of the mean ranged from 24.63 -98.22% and 2.0 - 47.13%, respectively. The highest values for all components were recorded for 100-seeds weight while the lowest values except for H2 computed for days to 90% maturity. The values of PCV were higher than GCV for all traits. Hence, the variation between PCV and GCV for chocolate spot was high indicating that it is more aggravated by environmental stress (soil acidity).
Keywords: Faba bean, Genetic advance, Grain yield, Heritability, Soil acidity, Variability