This study was conducted to evaluate the forage production and farmers preference as livestock feed under farmer's conditions in West Hararghe Zone of Oromia region, Ethiopia. Four improved Napier grass cultivars (ILRI cultivar number: 16801, 16800, 16798, and 16840) and local check were planted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with six replications during the main cropping season of 2018/19. The dry matter (DM) yield, fresh biomass yield, plant height, leaf length and leaf-stem ratio and other agronomic data were measured at harvest. Farmers preference of the Napier grass cultivars as livestock feed was collected through visual and hand evaluation of the multiple ranking criteria of the cultivars based on phonological nature. The results shows that, ILRI cultivar no. 16800 was higher (P<0.01) in the leaf to stem ratio than other Napier grass cultivars tested under farmers conditions. Similarly, ILRI cultivar 16800 was higher in DM yield and fresh biomass yield (P<0.05; 16.6 t/ha and 99.40 t/ha) respectively than ILRI cultivar 16798 (11.65 t/ha and 64.53 t/ha) respectively, but similar with other cultivars. According to the farmer's and developmental agent (DA) preferences, ILRI cultivar No. 16800 scored highest (4.56) followed by ILRI cultivar No. 16840 (4.00) and ILRI cultivar No. 16801 (3.89). The lowest score was given to ILRI cultivar No. 16798 (3.11) followed by local check (3.67). The results indicated that all Napier grass cultivars was ranked beyond good performance score (>3), as an indicator for livestock feed. From this study, it is concluded that Napier grass cultivars No. 16800, 16840 and 16801 were found promising in terms of agronomic traits, DM yield and fresh biomass yield than others during main rainy season (July to September) that needs further evaluation during dry season to demonstrated and popularized as an alternative feed resources under smallholder conditions in the study areas and other places of east and West Hararghe zones of Oromia region with similar climatic and edaphic conditions.

The study was conducted with the objectives to introduce adaptive, high grain and forage yielder of improved Oat accessions/varieties for mid land of Guji zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications under Bore Agricultural Research Center, Adola sub site for two consecutive (2013/14 to 2014/15) in the mean season. Data of 50% date flowering, date of mature, biomass yield, plant height and diseases incidence were collected. Significant (P<0.001) differences were observed for all measured agronomic traits except for lodging and green fodder yield. The result indicates that Jasari was the shortest and Grayaleris was the longest in terms of date of 50% flowering. Grayaleris Variety is late mature whereas Bona Bas variety is early mature. The maximum and minimum plant height was recorded from Lampton and Grayaleris variety respectively that showed significant (P<0.001) variation. Jasari variety (90%) followed by 6710 (83.33%) accession and lampton (78.33%) variety was the most susceptible and has low resistance to disease reaction (leaf and stem rust) and the lowest diseases severity was recorded from Bona Bas (1.67%) followed by Bonsa (6.6%) and 79Ab382 (TX) 80SA95 (10%) varieties. The maximum grain yield (28.85 quant/ha) was produced by accession 79Ab382 (TX) 80SA95 followed by accessions CI-8235 and CI-8237 which where (26.48 and 26.43 quant/ha) respectively and Lampton variety produced minimum grain yield (15.36 quant/ha). From this study, it is concluded that the oat varieties/ accessions 79Ab382 (TX) 80SA95, CI-8235 and Bonsa were found a promising in terms of grain yield, green fodder yield, absence of lodge and diseases resistance than others that could be demonstrated and popularized as an alternative feed resources under smallholder conditions in the study areas and other places of Guji zones of Oromia region with similar climatic and edaphic conditions.