GENETIC VARIABILITY AND GENOTYPE BY ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS AMONG RELEASED VARIETIES AND ADVANCED LINES OF DESI TYPE CHICKPEA GENOTYPES UNDER ACIDIC SOILS OF WESTERN ETHIOPIA rnBiru Alemu rnAddis Ababa University, 2017 rnThe importance of pulses such as chickpea (Cicer airetinum L.) cannot be overstated because of their significant role in sustaining food security, balancing the ecosystem and generating revenue. A field experiment was conducted on sixteen desi type chickpea genotypes under field condition at five locations viz., Shambu, Hawa Galan, Mata, Alaku Belle and Badesso in western Ethiopia during the main cropping season of 2016/2017 to examine the magnitude and pattern of environmental effect on Desi-type chickpea genotypes and genetic variability at molecular and morpho-agronomic levels. Pooled analysis of variance indicated highly significant differences for genotypes, environments, and genotype by environment interaction. The combined mean of genotypes indicated that variety Natoli and advanced line DZ-2012-CK-20113-2-0042 were top yielders among the sixteen genotypes tested at five environments of western Ethiopia. Significant statistical differences among the genotypes were observed for a number of characters. Genetic similarity matrix based on Jaccardâ€™s similarity coefficient using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers displayed an average range from 0.21 to 0.98. Based on yield performance, Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI), AMMI stability value (ASV), Genotype selection index (GSI), Genotype main effect and Genotype by Environment Interaction (GGE) biplot analysis Natoli and DZ-2012-CK-20113-2-0042 were stable and high yielding genotypes and thus they are recommended for wider production in test locations and similar agro-ecologies.