A genetic study of 260 Ethiopian barley accessions using a 50k SNP array revealed three unique clusters, uncorrelated to geographic clusters, underscoring the exceptional diversity of farmer-cultivated barley. Drought tolerance trials identified days to maturity as a key trait under stress, with chromosome 2H harboring most marker-trait associations (MTAs). Flowering time varied by location, driven by growing degree days, with distinct genomic regions (5H for warm, 2H for cool/ climate chamber) identified via GWAS. The research found promising, high-impact pleiotropic MTAs for drought and flowering, but stressed the importance marker validation and strategic conservation of these unique genetic resources.