Dr Tolera Keno
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Sorghum Genetics
Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation
Researcher biography
Tolera Keno is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Sorghum Genetics at The University of Queensland, based at the Hermitage Reseach Facility. His work focuses on improving seed producibility of female lines in sorghum hybrid production by investigating genetic and environmental factors limiting female seed yield in commercial hybrid seed production. He integrates large volumes of phenotypic, environmental, and genomic data to improve seed producibility of female sorghum lines. Before joining UQ, he dedicated over 10 years working as maize breeder at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), where he served as leader of the Ethiopian National Maize Research Program from 2014 to 2016.
Tolera's research interests include enhancing crop genetics for tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses and employing advanced statistical & quantitative methodologies in crop improvement, aiming to accelerate the rate of genetic gain in breeding programs.
Publications
Book Chapters
Abate, Tsedeke, Menkir, Abebe, Belay, Getachew, Feyissa, Regassa, Keno, Tolera and Bossey, Olubunmi (2024). Factors that transformed cereals productivity. The untold stories of African agriculture: lessons from Ethiopia. (pp. 42-60) edited by Tsedeke Abate. Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom: CABI. doi: 10.1079/9781800626386.0003
Ertiro, Berhanu T., Azmach, Girum, Keno, Tolera, Chibsa, Temesgen, Abebe, Beyene, Demissie, Girma, Wegary, Dagne, Wolde, Legesse, Teklewold, Adefris and Worku, Mosisa (2019). Fast-tracking the development and dissemination of a drought-tolerant maize variety in Ethiopia in response to the risks of climate change. The Climate-Smart Agriculture Papers: Investigating the Business of a Productive, Resilient and Low Emission Future. (pp. 79-86) edited by Todd S. Rosenstock, Andreea Nowak and Evan Girvetz. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-92798-5_7
Journal Articles
Keno, Tolera, Mace, Emma, Godwin, Ian, Jordan, David and Kelly, Alison (2024). The use of fixed shelling percentage biases genotype selection in hybrid maize multi-environment yield trials. Field Crops Research, 315 109437, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109437
Engida, Bitew Tilahun, Wegary, Dagne, Keno, Tolera and Mekonnen, Tesfaye Walle (2024). Combining ability and genetic distance analysis of mid altitude sub-humid agroecology adapted maize inbred lines for high grain yield. Heliyon, 10 (11) e32267, e32267. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32267
Tilahun, Bitew, Azimach, Girum, Keno, Tolera, Chibsa, Temesgen, Garoma, Belay, Abebe, Beyene, Tulu, Dufera, Tafa, Zelalem and Chalchisa, Desalegn (2019). Test cross performance and combining ability of newly introduced quality protein maize (Zea mays) inbred lines for grain yield and agronomic traits evaluated in mid-altitude agro-ecological zones of Ethiopia. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 36 (3), 173-180. doi: 10.1080/02571862.2018.1537009
Wolde, Legesse, Keno, Tolera, Tadesse, Berhanu, Bogale, Gezahegn, Teklewold, Adefris and Abebe, Beyene (2018). Mega-environment targeting of maize varieties using AMMI and GGE bi-plot analysis in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 28 (2), 65-84.
Keno, T., Azmach, G., Wegary, D., Worku, M., Tadesse, B., Wolde, L., Deressa, T., Abebe, B., Chibsa, T. and Suresh, L. M. (2018). Major biotic maize production stresses in Ethiopia and their management through host resistance. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 13 (21), 1042-1052. doi: 10.5897/ajar2018.13163
Ertiro, Berhanu Tadesse, Semagn, Kassa, Das, Biswanath, Olsen, Michael, Labuschagne, Maryke, Worku, Mosisa, Wegary, Dagne, Azmach, Girum, Ogugo, Veronica, Keno, Tolera, Abebe, Beyene, Chibsa, Temesgen and Menkir, Abebe (2017). Genetic variation and population structure of maize inbred lines adapted to the mid-altitude sub-humid maize agro-ecology of Ethiopia using single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers. BMC Genomics, 18 (1) 777. doi: 10.1186/s12864-017-4173-9
Tolera, Keno, Mosisa, Worku and Habtamu, Zeleke (2017). Combining ability and heterotic orientation of mid-altitude sub-humid tropical maize inbred lines for grain yield and related traits. African Journal of Plant Science, 11 (6), 229-239. doi: 10.5897/ajps2016.1502
Demissie, Girma, Deressa, Temesgen, Haile, Messele, Bogale, Gezahegn, Dida, Midekissa, Chibsa, Temesgen, Gedefaw, Yitayih, Tulu, Dufera, Debelo, Mezigebu, Keno, Tolera and Azmach, Girum (2016). Prevalence, distribution and impact of maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) in Ethiopia. Pest Management Journal of Ethiopia, 18, 37-49. doi: 10.20372/pmjoe.v18i.102
Abate, Tsedeke, Shiferaw, Bekele, Menkir, Abebe, Wegary, Dagne, Kebede, Yilma, Tesfaye, Kindie, Kassie, Menale, Bogale, Gezahegn, Tadesse, Berhanu and Keno, Tolera (2015). Factors that transformed maize productivity in Ethiopia. Food Security, 7 (5), 965-981. doi: 10.1007/s12571-015-0488-z
Conference Papers
Keno, Tolera, Negash, Meseret, Admasu, Solomon, Chibsa, Temesgen, Sukar, Hirko, Chemeda, Girma, Napir, Gudeta, Bogale, Gezahegn, Jifar, Habte, Haile, Taye, Tsegaw, Tekalign, Asseffa, Molla, Fekadu, Wondimu, Gebre, Desta and Wollie, Andualem (2012). Maize seed production in research centers and higher learning institutes in Ethiopia. Third National Maize Workshop of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 18-20 April 2011. Mexico City, Mexico: CIMMYT.
Worku, Mosisa, Wolde, Legesse, Tadesse, Berhanu, Demissie, Girma, Azmach, Girum, Abera, Wende, Keno, Tolera, Bogale, Gezahegn, Wegary, Dagne, Admasu, Solomon and Zeleke, Habtamu (2012). Status and future direction of maize research and production in Ethiopia. Third National Maize Workshop of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 18-20 April 2011. Mexico City, Mexico: CIMMYT.
Azmach, Girum, Worku, Mosisa, Wolde, Legesse, Abera, Wende, Tadesse, Berhanu, Keno, Tolera, Chibsa, Temesgen, Spillane, Charles and Menkir, Abebe (2012). Development of Improved Yellow Maize Germplasm in Ethiopia. Third National Maize Workshop of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 18-20 April 2011.
Beshir, Bedru, Habte, Endeshaw, Gedefa, Bayissa, Shale, Gemechu, Jifar, Habte, Keno, Tolera, Naper, Gudeta, Tsegaw, Belete, Tilahun, Lealem, Bogale, Gezahegn, Wogari, Dagne and Dessalegn, Tsige (2012). Participatory on-farm maize technology evaluation and promotion in Ethiopia. Third National Maize Workshop of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 18-20 April 2011. Mexico City, Mexico: CIMMYT.
Legesse, W., Mosisa, W., Berhanu, T., Girum, A., Wende, A., Solomon, A., Tolera, K., Dagne, W., Girma, D., Temesgen, C., Leta, T., Habtamu, Z., Habte, J., Alemu, T., Fitsum, S., Andualem, W. and Belayneh, A. (2012). Genetic improvement of maize for mid-altitude and lowland sub-humid agro-ecologies of Ethiopia. Third National Maize Workshop of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 18-20 April 2011. Mexico City, Mexico: CIMMYT.
Berhanu, T., Habtamu, Z., Twumasi-Afrieye, S., Blummel, M., Friesen, D., Mosisa, W., Dagne, W., Legesse, W., Girum, A., Tolera, K. and Wende, A. (2012). Breeding maize for food-feed traits in Ethiopia. Third National Maize Workshop of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 18-20 April 2011. Mexico City, Mexico: CIMMYT.
Department Technical Report
Alemu, Abiy, Abakemal, Demissew and Keno, Tolera (2019). Validation of maize product concepts. 124. Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research.