Variación en caracteres de interés agronómico en poblaciones de Setaria lachnea.

PENSIERO J.F.; GUTIERRREZ H.F.; EXNER E.; ZABALA J.M.

AGROCIENCIA

COLEGIO DE POSTGRADUADOS

Año: 2011 vol. 45 p. 699 - 709

1405-3195

Setaria lachnea is recommended for its introduction tocultivation due to its qualities as native forage, for whichvariation of traits with agronomic importance in nine nativepopulations of Argentina was analyzed. The variables wereheight of shoot and length and width of leaves, floweringphenology through the date of panicle emergence, fertility,variability and germination ability of seeds. Data wereprocessed using a variance analysis and mean comparison(Tukey; p?T0.05). The analysis of the variables studied showedvariation between populations. Shoot height ranged between46 and 104 cm, leaf length, between 23 and 34 cm and widthleaf between 1.1 and 1.9 cm. The populations differed fromeach other in the number of days since the beginning ofpanicle emergence up to reach 50 % and 100 % of emergenceof panicles. The average fertility rate was 49 %, withsignificant differences between populations. The germinationof seeds of all populations was scarce or zero, although itsviability was above 80 %, which confirmed the presence ofdormancy which prevented germination. The morphologicalvariations were not associated with the geographical origin ofpopulations.