Abstract
Three hundred and one accessions of six different Brachiaria species were analyzed, in which twentyfour morphologic characteristics were evaluated. Discriminant analysis based on principal components and Anderson’s discriminant analysis were conducted for the six species. The graphic dispersion provided a clear view of the genetic divergence among the accessions and among the species. Three different groups were identified. Discrimination functions were established, allowing the classification of unknown individuals in one of the six studied species. The functions were consistent and resulted in the following rates of correct classification: B. brizantha (86.67%), B. decumbens (93.48%), B. humidicola (72.22%), B. jubata (96.77%), B. ruziziensis (92.86%) and B. dictyoneura (90.00%), thus contributing as an auxiliary approach in the identification of unknown individuals.
Highlights
Meat and milk production in tropical countries are maintained by the use of forage under grass, constituting the most economical way to feed the cattle.In Brazil, forage plants used in livestock exploration are based on a narrow genetic base, reducing the number of varieties available for pasture establishment
Discriminant analysis based on principal components was conducted considering 301 accessions and 24 variables
The highest values were observed for the variables “spikelet spot percentage” (93.0%) and “length of leaf blade pubescence” (91.1%)
Summary
Meat and milk production in tropical countries are maintained by the use of forage under grass, constituting the most economical way to feed the cattle.In Brazil, forage plants used in livestock exploration are based on a narrow genetic base, reducing the number of varieties available for pasture establishment. The small existent variability turns pastures vulnerable to the attack of pests and diseases, besides limiting the development of varieties adapted to different soil and weather conditions and specific production systems (Valle and Souza, 1995). In this context, the genetic improvement can expressively contribute to increase pasture diversity, developing more productive and high quality forage plants and, increasing meat and milk productivity. Species of genus Brachiaria are the most cultivated forage in Brazil, occupying 80% of the pastures planted in the nineties (Santos Filho, 1998). The incorrect classification of Brachiaria accessions constitutes a problem
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