Yield Potential and Physiological and Morphological Characteristics Related to Yield Performance in Oryza glaberrima Steud.

Abstract

Oryza glaberrima has mostly been used as a source to improve stress resistance of Oryza sativa. Improvement of this species could be an approach to use its adaptability to local environments in Africa such as multiple resistance to several indigenous constraints. The yield of O. glaberrima was inferior to that of O. sativa under favorable growth conditions but not under unfavorable conditions. Moreover, spikelet number before grain shattering was no less in O. glaberrima than in O. sativa at any fertilizer input levels, suggesting that the yield potential of O. glaberrima is as high as that of O. sativa. Inferior yield of O. glaberrima reported in favorable environments could result from grain shattering enhanced by such growth environments where higher incidence of lodging, which is another undesirable character of O. glaberrima, can occur. Regarding characteristics associated to yield generation, O. glaberrima seemed to possess: higher dry matter production and greater leaf area than O. sativa at least until heading; a lower photosynthetic rate per leaf area but a higher rate against the same leaf nitrogen content in a low content range; higher responsiveness of dry matter, leaf area and leaf photosynthesis to increases in nitrogen inputs; lower water-use efficiency on dry matter accumulation and gas exchange bases; faster progress of leaf senescence during maturity; and faster completion of grain filling during maturity than O. sativa.