Genetic diversity of a Paspalum notatum Flügge germplasm collection

Juliana Maria Fachinetto,Cleber Henrique Lopes De Souza,Miguel Dall'Agnol,Carine Simioni,Roberto Luis Weiler

doi:10.1590/s1806-92902017000900002

Abstract

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to assess the genetic diversity among accessions of Paspalum notatum based on morphological marker traits and identify those morphological traits that contribute most to the variability among accessions. Fifty-three accessions were evaluated for the following traits: length, width, color, and pubescence of sheath; length, width, insertion angle, color of midrib, and pubescence of leaves; number, length, and angle of racemes; length of flowering stems; and plant growth habit (erect or prostrate). Multivariate analysis [...]

Highlights

Species of the genus Paspalum L. are the main components of native pasture in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas (Sartor et al, 2009)
In face of the great productive potential of P. notatum evidenced by previous studies (Fachinetto el al., 2012), the objectives of this study were to assess the genetic variability among accessions of P. notatum based on morphological traits, study the genetic diversity based on morphological traits, and identify the traits that contributed most to the discrimination of accessions
Twenty-seven accessions were obtained from the Departamento de Plantas Forrageiras e Agrometeorologia (DPFA) of the Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and cloned vegetatively

Summary

Introduction

Species of the genus Paspalum L. are the main components of native pasture in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas (Sartor et al, 2009). From an agronomic point of view, the reproductive mode of the species of the genus Paspalum is of relevance, since the development of new cultivars relies on natural genetic variation, and intra- and interspecific hybridization efforts are affected by the reproductive mode (Adamowski et al, 2005). Favored by its growth habit, the species distribution is gradually further increasing and is considered one of the most promising native forage grasses in its region (Barreto, 1974; Canto-Dorow et al, 1996; Pozzobon and Valls, 1997). The genetic and morphological diversity of the species holds great potential for the development of new cultivars with desirable characteristics (Canto-Dorow et al, 1996; Pozzobon and Valls, 1997; Steiner, 2005; Cidade et al, 2008; Dahmer et al, 2008)

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Conclusion