Abstract
The objective of this study was to verify the existence of genetic variability among accessions of Arachis repens based on vegetative morphological characters, identifying those which contribute least for distinction of those accessions. Nineteen accessions were evaluated in a completely randomized design with ten replicates, established in 4-m2 plots. The traits evaluated were: basal leaflet length, basal leaflet width, apical leaflet length, apical leaflet width, petiole length, internode average length and internode diameter. The data obtained were submitted to univariate statistical analysis and accessions were grouped by the Scott-Knott test, at 1% of probability. The analysis of canonical variables and Tocher method were used to study the genetic divergence among accessions. Six heterogeneous groups were formed by Tocher method and eight groups were formed by technique of canonical variables, in which a consistency among grouping set by the different techniques used was observed. There is genetic divergence among accessions of A. repens on the basis of vegetative morphology traits, but there is the need to extend variability in Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Amendoim Forrageiro (Active Germplasm Bank of Forage Peanut). Apical leaflet length is the trait that contributes least to the accessions' distinctions, but it is important to maintain the standard cluster, and it should not be discarded
Highlights
Most economically important tropical forages have high genetic variability, which can be explored in the selection of new cultivars with desirable characteristics
The relationship between the coefficients of genetic and experimental variation was higher than the unit for length of the basal leaflets, length of apical leaflet, apical width of leaves, internode average length and average diameter, which reflects a very favorable situation for the selection, inasmuch as the coefficient of genetic variation expresses, as a percentage of the overall mean, the amount of genetic variation among genotypes
The mean values of the characteristics listed below presented by Monçato (1995) for A. repens were very close to those found in this study (Table 2): internode average length = 31.22 mm; thickness of runners = 2.4 mm, petiole length = 9.7 mm; apical leaflets length = 18.3 mm, apical leaflets width = 8.9 mm; basal leaflets length = 16.7 mm; basal leaflets width = 7.1 mm
Summary
Most economically important tropical forages have high genetic variability, which can be explored in the selection of new cultivars with desirable characteristics. Among the forage legumes of Arachis genus, Arachis pintoi Krapovickas & Gregory and Arachis repens Handro species are the most promising for utilization as forage in the South American tropics and are found in Section Caulorrhizae (Assis & Valentim, 2009) Both are perennial, with low and stoloniferous growth, with quadrifoliolate leaves, rather extended branches and adventitious roots at the nodes (Rodrigues et al, 2006). Peanut-forage feed is recommended for animal feeding in South, Central and North America and Australia. Because they are perennial and present morphological features that confer better adaptation to grazing, trampling and harvest, and based on records of the use by herbivores in their original environment, the species A. pintoi, A. repens and A. glabrata are the most collected and evaluated when it comes to forage yield (Valls & Simpson, 1994; Valls & Pizarro, 1994)
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