Genetic variability for drought tolerance in Leptochloa crinita

DOMINGUEZ, D.; PANASITI ROS, J.; CAVAGNARO, J. B.; CAVAGNARO, P. F.

Santa Fe

Congreso; XXXIII Argentinian Meeting of Plant Physiology; 2021

Leptochloa crinita is a C4 perennial forage grass native to the American continent, and represents an important component of the arid and semi-arid rangelands. A two-year partially replicated trial was carried out using 21 accessions of L. crinita from the IADIZA (CONICET) Germplasm Bank, with two treatments: i) irrigation, and ii) drought stress. Plots of both the irrigated and drought treatments were watered weekly during the first 40 days after the transplant. After this period, irrigation was suspended in the ?drought? plots. The following variables were measured weekly in all the accessions in both treatments: number of panicles/plant, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll index, and maximum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm). Also, foliage and roots biomass, and total leaf area per plant was measured, independently, at four sampling times during cultivation. Significant differences (p