Morpho-agronomic Characterization Research Articles

Genetic Relatedness in Elite Cultivars of Moth Bean using Morpho-agronomic and Molecular Markers

Background: Moth bean is a very nutritive and hardy crop, especially for resource poor-arid agriculture. The limited use of cultivars in moth bean breeding resulted into narrow genetic base. This study aimed to diversify the conical genetic base and developimproved cultivars, through molecular (RAPD) and morpho-agronomic characterization of commercially elite moth bean cultivars. Methods: Elite moth bean cultivars (15) were evaluated for 11 morpho-agronomic traits. Eleven RAPD markers were used to amplify genomic DNA and perform molecular characterization.Clustering approach was used for grouping of the cultivars. Result: RAPD markers revealed high polymorphism in 15 elite moth bean cultivars. The polymorphism information content (PIC) values varied within the range of 0.45 to 0.88, with an average of 0.77. The number of alleles at different loci ranged from 4 to 16, with an average of 10 alleles per locus. When employing UPGMA-based cluster analysis, utilizing 11 morpho-agronomic traits, the cultivars were grouped into four clusters. However, when RAPD markers were used, the cultivars were grouped into five clusters. The Jaccard’s similarity coefficient and Manhattan dissimilarity coefficient fell within the ranges of 0.18 to 0.70 and 0.02 to 0.42, respectively. These values signify the degree of genetic variability within the cultivars. Furthermore, a Mantel test was conducted to examine the correlation between agronomic traits and the RAPD-based matrix. The results showed a negative correlation, but it was not statistically significant.The high PIC values and the successful amplification of multiple loci demonstrate the efficacy of RAPD markers in assessing genetic diversity in moth beans. The study revealed enormous genetic variation among cultivars and crosses can be attempted between cultivars of different groups to create better recombinants in moth bean breeding programmes.

PHENOTYPIC VARIABILITY AND VEGETATIVE PERFORMANCE OF SWEET POTATO CULTIVARS [morning glory potatoes (L.) Lam] IN TIMOR-LESTE: A CASE STUDY IN HERA, DILI (2024).

Introduction: An exploratory study is written on the phenotypic characterization and vegetative performance of several sweet potato cultivars [Morning glory potatoes (L.) Lam] prospected in Timor-Leste. In three municipal markets of Dili, in 2016, 25 cultivars were collected that manifested differences in morphological characteristics observed; These 25 cultivars were propagated in nurseries for 1 month, and 9 did not survive. The remaining 16 were planted on a plot of land in Hera, Dili, in separate rows of 1.5 m, each row associated with a cultivar, with the propagules within the row separated by 1 m and relating to 8 replicates (clones) per cultivar, in a simple experimental design; the propagules consisted essentially of tubers, or, in its absence, sections of branches of about 20 cm. Research Methodology: Morphological characterization data were obtained by direct observation method, performed once a month for three months. For biometric measurement purposes, with only 12 cultivars surviving, the 20 largest branches (20x12 repetition = 240 branches) per cultivar were selected for three consecutive months, measuring branch lengths and others; Longitudinal surf was evaluated after one month in the nursery while lateral break was estimated after two months in the field. Results: A total of 20 forms or parameters were used in the morphoagronomic characterization of the cultivars, carried out and/or reconfirmed throughout the process in the 16 cultivars mentioned above. The biometric measurements, in a total of 10 types, refer to 12 cultivars, in which there were several sequential measurements in time, while the evaluation of the total production of tuberous units, in number and weight, only occurred at the end of the experiment. In the similarity matrix for the 16 cultivars evaluated, it can be seen that there are affinities and differences in a very marked amplitude. Discussion: It can be concluded, in general, that the tendency of production of tuberous units varies inversely with the growth of main branches, thus there is competition between the growth of the main branches. In addition, there is evidence of a positive or increasing linear relationship between the average weight of ‖ and the weight of the largest tubes in each variety, which can be considered relevant (R2 41%) it can be expected that, in the general tendency, a total of 10 grams in the averageweight of the "tu terciles" will be translated into a total ofabout 18 grams in the weight of the largest. Conclusion: In the 16 cultivars coded on a case-by-case basis, it was possible to make an association with technical designations of varieties used in the germplasm conservation center in Triloc a and in the Research Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of Timor-Leste in Dari Sula of the Municipality of Baucau, and also in the scientific literature, the key point in realization of study cited by (Maria C.G & Tilman CB., 2024).

Fruit quality and morphoagronomic characterization of a Brazilian Capsicum germplasm collection

Fruit quality and morphoagronomic characterization of a Brazilian Capsicum germplasm collection

Urochloa mosambicensis in the Brazilian semi-arid region: morpho-agronomic characterization of accessions under restricted climatic conditions

Urochloa mosambicensis in the Brazilian semi-arid region: morpho-agronomic characterization of accessions under restricted climatic conditions

Morphoagronomic characterization and reproductive versatility in polymorph clover

Trifolium polymorphum Poir. is a legume of natural pastures that combines amphicarpy with vegetative reproduction, but with little morphoagronomic information in populations of southern Brazil. In this study, plant height and diameter, number of primary stolons, dry matter, number of inflorescences, number of flowers per inflorescence, number of flowers with legume with seeds, number of flowers without legume or with legume without seeds, seed production, number and dry weight of storage roots were evaluated in populations of T. polymorphum. Little variation was observed for most characteristics, including low dry matter and aerial seed production. There were positive correlations between plant height and dry matter (r = 0.44), plant diameter and dry matter (r = 0.43), number of inflorescences and number of flowers per plant (r = 0.98) and number of inflorescences and seed production (r = 0.84). T. polymorphum presented low dry matter yield, however, the reproductive versatility of the species with the amphicarpic condition combined with vegetative propagation are mechanisms that allow the species to increase its frequency and contribution in natural pastures.

Genetic variability assessment of indigenous and exotic saffron germplasm through morpho-agronomic characterization at Jammu and Kashmir, India

AbstractThe present study analysed a total of 272 saffron (Crocus sativus L.) genotypes using multivariate analysis. We carefully observed and recorded information about the floral, morphological and corm attributes. Significant variations were observed among the genotypes for all the traits, indicating a high level of variability and suggesting a great potential for saffron improvement. The phenotypic variances were found to be greater than the estimated genotypic variances. Descriptive data on various morphological traits revealed significant differences in the frequency of phenotype classes as well as a wide distribution range. The high heritability estimates were observed in average number of daughter corms per plant (ANDCPP), initial weight of corms (IWC g), no. of buds/corm (NBPC), – no. of leaves in main sprout, (NLMS), number of sprouted buds per corm (NSBpC) and total number of leaves (TNL), whereas average weight of daughter corms per plant (AWBCPP), corm diameter (CDcm), pistal length (PL) cm, style length (STYLcm), fresh weight of pistals per plant (FWOPPPmg) and stigma length (STML cm), revealed medium sense of heritability. The traits dry weight of pistals per plants (DWOPPP mg), inner tepal width (ITW cm), leaf length (LLcm), number of flowers per corm (NFpC), outer tepal length (OTLcm), parianth length with tube (PLWT cm) and weight of stigma (WSTG mg) exhibited low broad-sense heritability. Principal component analysis (PCA) divulged that the first eight component characters had an eigenvalue greater than one with a contributory cumulative variance of 66.15% to the total variance, while as rest of the 16 components contributed 33.85% of total variation in a set of 272 genotypes of saffron. The eigenvalues for yield attributing traits for significant PCs ranged from 5.48 (PC1) to 1.03(PC8). The current study has revealed that there was a sufficient variability in a set of saffron germplasm lines which forms the basis for performance-based clonal selection. Moreover, identified elite genotypes based on saffron yield and corm attributes could be used in the saffron breeding programme for the development of saffron varieties.

Morpho-agronomic Characterization of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) Germplasm for Yield and Yield-associated Traits

Nepal possesses a rich diversity of cucumber landraces and their wild relatives. The first step towards harnessing the potential of these landraces in crop improvement programs is to identify the amount of genetic variation present among them. This research aimed to evaluate 18 cucumber accessions collected from different regions of Nepal and assess their agro-morphological variation in terms of yield and yield-associated traits under polyhouse condition. A research trial was conducted using Randomized Complete Block Design with two replicates at the National Agriculture Genetic Resources Centre (NAGRC), Khumaltar in 2019. The accessions were characterized using various qualitative and quantitative descriptors, with six focusing on traits related to the fruits of the plant and three on phenology and morphology. The results revealed significant variations among the genotypes for all studied traits. Bhaktapur Local was an excellent genotype for recording yield and associated traits, like fruit dimension, number of fruits per plant and yield per plant, making it the most promising genotype, however, Genebank accessions, such as NGRC08671, NGRC07716 and NGRC08668 could be excellent choices for yield associated traits. Correlation analysis indicated a positive relationship between yield and fruit length, fruit width, and total number of fruits per plant, while vine length was positively correlated with the total number of fruits produced per plant. This study identified several genotypes with desirable traits for yield and yield-associated characteristics, which could be valuable in the development of high-yielding cucumber varieties with superior morphological and agronomic traits in the future.
 Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 11(1): 30-36.

Morphoagronomic characterization and production gain after two mass selection cycles in Nawa Sheki landraces maize originated from the Western Brazilian Amazon

Intensive breeding and artificial selection of the desired traits in maize landraces through domestication have created modern maize, which needs a great technological contribution for optimal productive development. However, the narrowing of the genetic bases of maize made it difficult for traditional farmers to access productive genetic material that maintains the genotypic and phenotypic diversity capable of ensuring productive sustainability. Thus, objective of the study was to evaluate the variability and production gain in morphoagronomic characters of Nawa Sheki landraces maize after two mass selection cycles. The work was carried out in the experimental area of the Federal University of Acre, where two cycles of mass selection were applied on variety Nawa Sheki, in periods 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. The characteristics evaluated were: plant height, ear insertion height, ear length, ear diameter, number of rows of grains, number of grains per row, ear mass and grain mass. Data were submitted to descriptive analysis, with presentation of the histogram of frequency, asymmetry, kurtosis and Shapiro-Wilk test for the general population in both cycles. For the selected population, the following were obtained: mean, coefficient of variation, amplitude, minimum and maximum values and population variance in each cycle. The genetic parameters were selection differential for both cycles, production gain with selection and realized heritability of the first cycle. The choice of individuals in both cycles of mass selection was based on the ranking of the best values of the evaluated characteristics. The two cycles of mass selection provided high variability in the traits with the presence of superior phenotypes. Still, mass selection stabilized values for plant height, ear insertion height, followed by production gains for number of grains per row and ear mass.

Fenofases de floração e caracterização morfoagronômica de cultivares de Palma de Santa Rita

Abstract The characterization of flowering phenophases and morphoagronomic knowledge is important for crop management and harvest programming. This study aimed to evaluate the duration of reproductive phenophases and conduct morpho-agronomic characterization of gladiolus cultivars. Two experiments were conducted, one in a shaded environment and the other in a full sun environment. A split-plot design in randomized blocks was used, which consisted of the planting system with single rows and twin rows in the plots and the cultivars (White Goddess, Traderhorn, Peter Pears, and Gold Field) in the subplots. The reproductive phenophases, plant development and productivity of each cultivar were evaluated. The flowering cycle lasted from 58 to 65 days when the cultivars were grown in the shaded environment, while the duration of this cycle ranged from 78 to 87 days in the full sun environment. The yield of the Gold Field cultivar was significantly higher when grown in twin rows compared to single-row planting. A shaded environment and twin-row planting are the recommended conditions for the cultivation of gladiolus in the state of Mato Grosso since they promote better stem development and early flowering of the cultivars. The Peter Pears and Gold Field cultivars are recommended for cultivation in the region due to their greater production of marketable stems.

Morphoagronomic characterization of accessions of Triticum aestivum L.

Wheat is one of the most economically important cereals for the Department of Boyacá; however, the cultivated area sees low yields, phytosanitary problems, and a lack of genetic materials with desirable agronomic characteristics. The present study aimed to morphoagronomically characterize 49 accessions from the FENALCE germplasm bank using morphological and yield descriptors and multivariate and cluster analyses. The variables auricle color, edge shape, precocity, growth habit, grain size and serosity showed little genetic variability, while the number of tillers per plant, number of spikelets per spike and glume color showed high genetic variability. The principal component analysis, based on the correlation matrix, showed that the first four principal components (PC) explained 71% of the total variation observed in the characterized accessions. The cluster analysis formed three groups according to the evaluated morphological characteristics, with group three containing the accessions with the best agronomic characteristics. None of the evaluated accessions had rust damage. Around 15 wheat accessions had good agronomic performance under the conditions of this study, which should be used in future genetic improvement programs aimed at identifying elite materials in the Department of Boyacá.

Agromorphological characterization of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) accessions from the germplasm bank of the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation, Peru

Agromorphological characterization of cacao accessions in Peru is currently an important tool in the conservation and genetic improvement of cacao germplasm. The objective of this study was to carry out the morphological and agronomic characterization of 113 cacao accessions from the Huarangopampa germplasm bank. Tree, leaf, flower, fruit and seed descriptors were used. The data collected were processed by descriptive statistics using multivariate techniques. Five groups were formed according to similar characteristics. The accessions of group 1 are vigorous trees with an pod index of 19.27 pods/kg of seeds; the groups that presented better differential characteristics were group 2 with erect tree architecture, intermediate vigorousness, purple seed color and pod index of 20.07 pods/kg of seeds and group 3, which had the highest number of accessions with the lowest pod index of 18.77 pods/kg of seeds, besides being vigorous trees and having purple seeds. On the other hand, group 4 presented a particular characteristic of white seed color and high pod indexes with 22.11 pods/kg of seeds. Finally, group 5 accessions were characterized by intermediate tree architecture and vigor with an pod index of 21.3 pods/kg of seeds. The morphoagronomic characterization constitutes a first advance in the identification of cacaos with potential for genetic improvement and advances in the Peruvian chocolate industry.

Morpho-Agronomic Characterization, Sample Size, and Plot Size for the Evaluation of Capsicum chinense Genotypes

The Amazon is a center of diversity for Capsicum chinense Jacq., with wide genetic and morphological variability, but little exploration has been performed there to facilitate their improvement. This study aimed to characterize and evaluate C. chinense genotypes for the development of cultivars by determining the optimal size of the experimental plot and the minimum sample size to ensure a precise estimation of yield. A total of 23 genotypes were evaluated, and in multivariate analyses, the plants were characterized by 21 morphological descriptors and eight quantitative traits related to biometry and yield. The recommended sample size for fruit evaluation was defined based on simulations with subsample resampling and evaluation of the semi-amplitudes of the confidence interval of the mean estimate. The optimal plot size was estimated by the modified maximum curvature method. The similarity coefficients among the genotypes ranged from 0.54 to 0.93, indicating that the established clusters contained important information for future crosses. According to the sample size methodologies, 25 to 40 fruits should be sampled for valid evaluations of biometric traits. Experiments with five to eight plants per plot are recommended to test progenies of the species, ensuring good experimental precision combined with high selection accuracy for yield traits.

Morphoagronomic Evaluation of Yellow Pitahaya (Selenicereus megalanthus Haw.) in Miraflores, Colombia

Selenicereus megalanthus is a native fruit tree with broad phenotypic variations that has not been characterized. The objective of this research was to morphoagronomically evaluate yellow pitahaya genotypes in open fields and under cover in the municipality of Miraflores, Boyacá. A diagnostic census of the productive system was carried out. The morphoagronomic characterization used a completely random design with qualitative and quantitative descriptors for fruits and cladodes taken in situ and analyzed with frequency, descriptive, multivariate, conglomerate, and sperm correlation analyses. The pitahaya production system was based on empirical practices carried out by farmers. The weight of the largest fruit in open fields was 219.04 g on average; the average was 186.48 g with the covered system. The open-field systems had the largest genotypes in all the dimensions (length and width). The covered systems had the highest number of fruits per cladode (3.70) and the longest cladodes in the entire study (121.24 cm). Both production systems showed similar values for titratable acidity (0.20), and the soluble solids values were slightly higher in the open-field system than in the covered system (15.20 and 14.66 °Brix, respectively), desirable characteristics for the market. Genotypes 7 (under cover) and 3 (open field) presented outstanding morphological and agronomic characteristics. This study identified genotypes that can be included in selection programs for yellow pitahaya in Miraflores, Colombia.

Morphoagronomic characterization of a germplasm collection of Furcraea spp. and Agave spp.

This work was carried out in Antioquia, Colombia, in a collection of the Furcraea and Agave genera, important in the country for manufacturing strings, sacks, geotextiles, and handicrafts Currently, to enhance its use, applications have been developed in textiles, biodegradable materials and thermo-acoustic insulation, among others. The aim of this study was to characterize phenotypically and agronomically 94 accessions. The variables were weighted according to the degree of discrimination; a dissimilarity dendrogram was constructed using UPGMA based on Gower's distance, and the cophenetic correlation coefficient was determined. Six groups were identified; on the one hand, the accessions of the Agave genus formed groups A and B, with and without spines, respectively, showing the highest elongation values. On the other hand, the Furcraea accessions formed groups C to F, with the highest average values ​​of fiber per plant, allowing a first approach to identify promising clones for their use per se or utilized in plant breeding programs. This study represents an approach to knowing the morphological and agronomic variability of the collection and highlights the importance of maintaining the germplasm bank for ex situ conservation.

Morpho-agronomic characterization and genetic divergence among pepper accessions

The germplasm characterization and the analysis of genetic divergence are fundamental requirements to determine the genetic diversity available and peppers have considerable variability not most explored and quantified. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize morphological and agronomically pepper accessions and their genetic divergence. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse of the Department of Agronomy of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, between the months of December 2014 to June 2015. Thirteen pepper accessions in pots were sown, the experimental design was a randomized block with six replications, and the experimental unit consisted of three pots. Seedling, leaves, plant and fruit characteristics were evaluated. For the analysis of genetic divergence, the Mahalanobis distance and the UPGMA method were used. It was observed the formation of three distinct groups, being fruit width the trait that most contributed to the genetic discrimination of the accessions. Group I presented larger fruits, Group II showed heavier and wider fruits and Group III had mostly smaller, lighter and thinner fruits. There were differences for most of the evaluated characteristics, showing great morphological and agronomic variability among the accessions. The peppers have a high potential to be exploited in breeding.

Genetic variability in Capsicum spp. accessions through multicategorical traits

Capsicum peppers originate from the American continent. Their culinary and medicinal potential, first exploited by indigenous peoples over 7000 years ago is vast, however more studies are needed. Despite the existence of germplasm banks that house hundreds of accessions of the genus, only a little of this diversity is seen in large markets. In this respect, the morpho-agronomic characterization of the accessions allows not only the identification of the existing variability, but also the agronomic and commercial potential of the genotypes. Therefore, this study proposes to characterize and estimate genetic divergence between accessions of the Capsicum germplasm collection at the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) based on multicategorical traits. The species were identified and 29 accessions were characterized in a greenhouse, based on 31 multicategorical descriptors of the crop. The collected data were subjected to the Cole-Rodgers dissimilarity index and to hierarchical clustering (Nearest Neighbor) and optimization (Tocher’s) methods. Tocher's method was considered the most suitable to group the accessions of the germplasm bank. Results indicate that the multicategorical descriptors properly assess the diversity in the chosen method and display the existence of high variability in the collection, which can be used in Capsicum spp. breeding programs.

VARIABILITY OF F2 PROGENIES OF CASTOR BEAN BY MEANS OF MORPHOAGRONOMIC DESCRIPTORS

ABSTRACT Morphoagronomic characterization is a basic requirement to identify a phenotypic profile of a population. The quantification of variability allows efficient selection of superior and divergent genotypes. Thus, this study aimed to estimate the variability among 490 genotypes and seven strains, from an F2 population of Ricinus communis L., in 35 morphoagronomic traits and 12 agronomic traits. For qualitative descriptors, the entropy technique was used in the percentage frequencies of each category, computing its level using the coefficient of Rényi (1961). Quantitative descriptors were subjected to analysis of variance by the F test, and Tukey test was performed at 1% probability level. Of the morphoagronomic traits used, 13 were related to plants, nine were related to inflorescence, six were related to fruits and seven were linked to seeds, in addition to 12 agronomic traits. The material was arranged in the field with families (strains of five families) interspersed with their respective parents (controls). Stem color, shape and number of racemes collected, main color, type of secondary color and hundred-seed weight have high variability in the population, with formation of 68 groups as a function of genetic similarity. The possibility of selection as to the number of racemes harvested is clear, so it is possible to identify genotypes with higher number, aiming to enhance crop yield.

Exploration, collection and characterization of Kala zeera (Bunium persicum Boiss. Fedtsch.) germplasm from northwestern Himalayas

AbstractA study was conducted to collect and characterize the indigenous Kala zeera (Bunium persicum Boiss. Fedtsch.) accessions from the hills of northwestern Himalayan sates of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Around 1000 accessions were collected during this exploration mission, out of which diversity of 252 accessions was established through morphological characterization. The morpho-agronomic characterization and the analysis of trait data revealed significant variability in number of branches per plant, number of umbelets per umbel, number of seeds per plant, seed yield per plant and 1000 seed weight. The collection and characterization of these diverse accessions can prove useful in future Kala zeera improvement programmes in the world as this is the first such comprehensive report of the crop from northwestern Himalayan region of India.

Genetic and Morpho-Agronomic Characterization of Sicilian Tetraploid Wheat Germplasm.

Cereal landraces are a very valuable resource in contemporary agriculture. A renewed focus for breeding purposes could ameliorate some negative consequences of modern agriculture and conventional breeding, such as the loss of genetic diversity. One strategy combining molecular genotyping and characterization of morpho-agronomic traits related to productivity is proposed to assess a group of tetraploid wheat landraces named Bufala, historically cultivated in the mountain areas of Sicily and characterized by adaptability in terms of cold tolerance, ability to grow in marginal soils, weed competitiveness and resistance to diseases. A total of 55 SSR molecular markers were used to detect patterns of diversity in 30 rivet and durum wheat genotypes. Furthermore, phenotyping was then conducted for 8 morpho-agronomic traits. Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC), STRUCTURE and phylogenetical analysis allowed to identify three groups, two of them genetically close and including both Bufala and Bufala-related rivet landraces. To the third group, old and more recent durum wheat varieties, constituting the outgroup, were assigned. Clustering was confirmed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Finally, a correlation analysis showed that Bufala genotypes are characterized by lower ear density, major ear length and later earing time compared with the other studied genotypes. The levels of diversity and population structure could be an important contribution to parent selection in tetraploid wheat breeding programs, as well as to germplasm conservation and management.

Morphoagronomic and molecular characterization of Euterpe oleracea accessions from eastern Brazilian Amazon

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) - a common tropical palm has high social, economic, and environmental importance in the Amazon region. In the light of increasing exploration to obtain the fruit and heart of this palms, comprehensive studies are warranted for conservation and genetic improvement. Here, we characterized açaí accessions using phenological, morphological, and agronomic descriptors and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers for joint selection of accessions with greater productivity. Hundred accessions were analyzed using 18 morphoagronomic descriptors and 13 RAPD markers. The spathe and inflorescence emission phases during flowering and fruiting showed seasonality. Based on the coefficient of variation and mean squared error, the accessions exhibited high variability in the tested morphoagronomic descriptors and were distributed into seven groups. Fruit, seed, and pulp weights were important descriptors for the distinction of accessions and identification of those with greater productivity. The accessions presented >85% similarity, and 85 accessions, distributed in nine subgroups, could not be differentiated using RAPD markers. There was no correlation between grouping based on morphometric descriptors and RAPD markers. Panicle weight was 3.9-9.0 kg in 15 accessions and 100-fruit pulp weight was 35-50 g in six accessions. Therefore, accessions with high productivity could be selected.