CHARACTERIZATION AND EARLY SELECTION OF SILK BLOSSOM ( CALOTROPIS PROCERA ) GENOTYPES WITH FORAGE POTENTIAL

Diogo Gonçalves Neder,Isaias Vitorino Batista De Almeida,Wellison Filgueiras Dutra,Fabiane Rabelo Da Costa Batista

doi:10.1590/1983-21252017v30n328rc

Diogo Gonçalves Neder, Isaias Vitorino Batista De Almeida + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-21252017v30n328rc

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Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aimed to characterize and select silk blossom genotypes (Calotropis procera) with forage potential. Between April and July 2014, we cultivated 89 genotypes in plastic tubes arranged in a randomized block design with three replications; each experimental plot was composed of 8 plants. The following characteristics were evaluated: plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), number of leaves (NL), total leaf area (TLA), leaf fresh mass (LFM), stem fresh mass (SFM), root fresh mass (RFM), leaf dry mass (LDM), stem dry mass (SDM), and root dry mass (RDM). Significant differences (p < 0.05) among genotypes were observed for all characteristics, except for NL at 45 and 60 days after sowing (DAS) and for RFM at 60 DAS. Broad-sense heritability estimates and genotype means had medium and high values for most characteristics. Genetic variability among C. procera genotypes was observed. High gain selection was found for the characteristics TLA, PH, SFM, LFM, SDM, and LDM as the genotypes 79, 65, 48, 12, 51, 35, 63, 25, 1, and 46 are suitable for future breeding works to improve forage production.

Highlights

Frequent and long periods of water scarcity in Northeast Brazil have been regarded as the main limiting factor in animal production over the centuries
Aiton), a native species of Africa, Madagascar, Arabian Peninsula, Southeast Asia, India, and China to Malaysia, belongs to the Apocynaceae family and the Asclepiadoideae subfamily (RAHMAN; WILCOCK, 1991; SOBRINHO et al, 2013). It is alternatively used for forage production in the dry season due to its high protein content and its ability to stay green under normal drought conditions as well as in periods of prolonged droughts
There was a significant difference between the 89 C. procera genotypes, except for number of leaves (NL) at 45 and 60 days after sowing (DAS) and for root fresh mass (RFM) at 60 DAS (p > 0.05), and the significant F test at 5% or 1% probability for the other parameters

Summary

Introduction

Frequent and long periods of water scarcity in Northeast Brazil have been regarded as the main limiting factor in animal production over the centuries. This is mostly due shortages in forage for ruminants during the dry season, a major factor in reducing production and productivity of Brazilian semi-arid livestock. Aiton), a native species of Africa, Madagascar, Arabian Peninsula, Southeast Asia, India, and China to Malaysia, belongs to the Apocynaceae family and the Asclepiadoideae subfamily (RAHMAN; WILCOCK, 1991; SOBRINHO et al, 2013) It is alternatively used for forage production in the dry season due to its high protein content and its ability to stay green under normal drought conditions as well as in periods of prolonged droughts

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