Seed yield variables of five wild Poaceae species in La Siberia, Chapingo, México

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate the seed yield variables in situ in Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua hirsuta, Bouteloua curtipendula, Mulhenbergia rigida and Schizachyrium scoparium in La Siberia, Chapingo, Mexico. The study was carried out on wild plants in which the following were recorded: total stems plant-1, number of branches plant-1, number and quantity of seed-1, stem-1 and plant- 1 to later evaluate the percentage of filling and viability. The data were analyzed with GLM of SAS in Completely Random Blocks design and Tukey’s test (α = 0.05). There was no grass species that exceeded 25 flower stems per plant (P<0.001). B. gracilis showed a lower number of inflorescences per plant compared to B. hirsuta (P<0.001), however, with a higher number of branches (P <0.001). Seed production per plant (mg) was higher in M. rigida (P <0.001; 12902), followed by B. curtipendula (2246) and S. scoparium (1465). In physical quality of B. curtipendula seed, it presented a higher percentage of filling (P<0.001; 17%) and S. scoparium greater viability (P<0.001; 78%) and weight of 1000 seeds (P<0.001; 1.52 mg). In La Siberia, B. curtipendula and S. scoparium were identified as potential grasses to collect seed and then be used for reclamation or rehabilitation.