Maize became increasingly important in the food security of Ethiopia following the major drought and famine that occurred in 1984. More than 9 million smallholder households, more than for any other crop in the country, grow maize in Ethiopia at present. Ethiopia has doubled its maize productivity and production in less than two decades. The yield, currently estimated at >3 metric tons/ha, is the second highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa; yield gains for Ethiopia grew at an annual rate of 68 kg/ha between 1990 and 2013, only second to South Africa and greater than Mexico, China, or India. The maize area covered by improved varieties in Ethiopia grew from 14 % in 2004 to 40 % in 2013, and the application rate of mineral fertilizers from 16 to 34 kg/ ha during the same period. Ethiopia's extension worker to farmer ratio is 1:476, compared to 1:1000 for Kenya, 1:1603 for Malawi and 1:2500 for Tanzania. Increased use of improved maize varieties and mineral fertilizers, coupled with increased extension services and the absence of devastating droughts are the key factors promoting the accelerated growth in maize productivity in Ethiopia. Ethiopia took a homegrown solutions approach to the research and development of its maize and other commodities. The lesson from Ethiopia's experience with maize is that sustained investment in agricultural research and development and policy support by the national government are crucial for continued growth of agriculture.

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Experiments were conducted at Arsi Negele. Ethiopia, during the 1988 and 1989 rainy seasons to determine a suitable combination of sorghum panicle trimming (a method used to remove pollinated spikelets), inoculation, and bagging to develop an ergot reslstance screening tcchnique. Results showed that the most suitable method was a singlc inoculation of nontrimmed panicles when anthesis began in a panlcle, followed by bagging. Comparison of resistance ebaluatlon methods suggested that susceptible genotypes could be identrfied by a simplc and rapid vlsual ergot rating on a 1 5 scalc, where I = no ergot and 5 = more than 50%. spikelets In a panicle infected. However, resistance of genotypes should be confirmed by counting infected and healthy spikelets in a few primary branches of panicles. Screening of 213 Ethropian sorghum accesstons led to the identification of six ergot-resistant lines

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A BS T R A C TThe relationship between phenolics and parameters of in-vitro digestibility of neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) in leaves and stems from the crop residue of bird resistant ( B R ) and non-bird resistant (NBR) sorghum varieties was determined. The phenolics studied were lignin, insoluble proanthocyanidins, soluble red pigments and soluble phenolics as measured by absorbance (280 nm) and precipitation with ytterbium. Parameters of the digestibility of NDF studied were 48-h digestibility, potentially digestible NDF, rate of digestion and indigestible N D F as determined by non-linear regression analysis. Leaves from BR varieties were higher in most phenolics thun leaves from N B R varieties. Digestibility of NDF at 48 h, potentially digestible N D F and rate of N D F digestion was lower in leaves from B R varieties. The indigestible N D F was higher in B R varieties. Phenolics in leaves were negatively correlated with digestibility of NDF at 48 h, potentially digestible N D F and rate of N D F digestion and positively correlated with indigestible NDF. Phenolics in stems had non-significant correlations with parameters of the digestibility of N D F except for a positive correlation between lignin and indigestible NDF. These results indicate that breeding for bird resistance in sorghum would lead to lower nutritive value of the crop residue.