Fenologia e diversidade genética entre acessos de Clotropis procera(Ait.) W.T. Aiton baseada em caracteres agronômicos e bromatológico

Calotropis procera (Ait.) W.T. Aiton is a perennial and xerophilous species with crop potential for forage production in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Due to its economic importance, the aim was to evaluate phenology and genetic diversity among C. procera accessions through agronomic and bromatological characteristics. Seeds of 70 accessions of C. procera were collected between october of 2015 and january of 2016, in areas of natural occurrence of the species in the Northeast region of Brazil. Currently these accessions make up the germplasm collection of the National Institute of the Semi-arid (INSA). The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in the INSA, in Campina Grande - PB, between january and september 2016. The plants were cultivated in plastic pots with capacity of 10 liters, filled with soil, where the fertilization was done according to soil analysis and recommendation, and were irrigated every 3 days. In the phenology study, the morphophysiological characteristics were evaluated every 30 days, beginning at 30 days after sowing (DAS) and ending at 240 DAS. Physiological indexes were estimated up to 120 DAS and leaf fall, flowering and fruiting were evaluated. Obtained the mean of each characteristic with the adjustment and selection of regression models to explain the growth of C. procera based on the coefficient of determination. The vegetative stage of C. procera occurs during the 240 DAS, with fall and production leaf continuously, while the reproductive stage begins at 153 DAS, pursuing until 222 DAS, depending on the accession, making constant issuing of inflorescences on plants after the beginning of flowering.In the study of genetic diversity by agronomic characters, the experimental design was a randomized block with three replicates and data from 23 traits were used, and there was a significant difference (p <0.01) for the F test in all characters, where the genetic parameters estimates proved the genetic effect on the characters expression, with high heritability (h2) estimates of high magnitude. In addition, the analysis of Canonic Variables and grouping by the Tocher and UPGMA methods (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) was performed. Phytomass characteristics are the main contributors to genetic divergence in C. procera genotypes. In the research of genetic divergence based on the bromatological composition, the plants were collected at 120 DAS, and the following production characteristics xii were obtained: stem fresh mass, leaf fresh mass, total fresh mass, stem dry mass , leaf dry mass and total dry mass. In addition, dry matter, mineral matter, organic matter, crude protein, ethereal extract, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, total carbohydrates and non-fibrous carbohydrates were determined. The principal components analysis was obtained by grouping by the Tocher method and UPGMA based on these characters. All the production characteristics and the bromatological composition, with the exception of acid detergent fiber, contribute to the genetic divergence of C. procera accessions. There is genetic variability among the 70 accessions of C. procera based on agronomic and bromatological characters. Accessions 1, 12, 20, 39, 48, 50, 57, 67 and 70 are promising in the breeding program of C. procera, with agronomic and forage potential, and can be used as parents in hybridization programs and indicated to compose future studies.Calotropis procera (Ait.) W.T. Aiton é uma espécie perene e xerófila com potencial de cultivo para produção de forragem no Semiárido brasileiro. Em função da sua importância econômica objetivou-se com a pesquisa avaliar a fenologia e a diversidade genética entre acessos de C. procera por meio de caracteres agronômicos e bromatológicos. Foram coletadas sementes de 70 acessos de C. procera entre outubro de 2015 e janeiro de 2016, em áreas de ocorrência natural da espécie, na região Nordeste do Brasil. Atualmente estes acessos compõem a coleção de germoplasma do Instituto Nacional do Semiárido (INSA). O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação no INSA, em Campina Grande – PB, entre janeiro e setembro de 2016. As plantas foram cultivadas em vasos plásticos com capacidade de 10 litros, preenchidos com solo, onde foi feita a adubação conforme recomendação de análise do solo e foram irrigadas em intervalos de 3 dias. No estudo da fenologia as características morfofisiológicas foram avaliadas a cada 30 dias, com início aos 30 dias após a semeadura (DAS) e término aos 240 DAS. Os índices fisiológicos foram estimados até os 120 DAS e foi avaliada a queda de folhas, a floração e a frutificação. Obteve-se a média de cada característica com o ajuste e seleção dos modelos de regressão para explicar o crescimento de C. procera com base no coeficiente de determinação. O estádio vegetativo de C. procera ocorre durante os 240 DAS, com queda e produção de folhas continuamente, enquanto que o estádio reprodutivo se inicia aos 153 DAS, prosseguindo até os 222 DAS, dependendo do acesso, tornando-se constante a emissão de inflorescência nas plantas após o inicio da floração. No estudo de diversidade genética por meio de caracteres agronômicos, o delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados com três repetições e utilizou-se dados de 23 características e houve diferença significativa (p<0,01) pelo teste F em todos os caracteres, onde as estimativas dos parâmetros genéticos comprovaram o efeito genético na expressão dos caracteres, com destaque para as estimativas de herdabilidade (h2) de alta magnitude. Além disso, realizou-se a análise de Variáveis Canônicas e de agrupamento pelos métodos de Tocher e UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean). As características de fitomassa são as que mais contribuem para a divergência genética em genótipos de C. procera. Na pesquisa de divergência x genética com base na composição bromatológica, foi feita a coleta das plantas aos 120 DAS e obteve-se as seguintes características de produção: massa verde do caule, massa verde da folha, massa verde total, massa seca do caule, massa seca da folha e massa seca total. Além disso, determinaram-se os teores de matéria seca, matéria mineral, matéria orgânica, proteína bruta, extrato etéreo, fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, carboidratos totais e carboidratos não fibrosos. Com base nesses caracteres obteve-se a análise de componentes principais, de agrupamento pelo método de Tocher e UPGMA. Todas as características de produção e da composição bromatológica, com exceção da fibra em detergente ácido, contribuem para divergir geneticamente os acessos de C. procera. Existe variabilidade genética entre os 70 acessos de C. procera com base nos caracteres agronômicos e bromatológicos. Os acessos 1, 12, 20, 39, 48, 50, 57, 67 e 70 são promissores no programa de melhoramento de C. procera, com potencial agronômico e forrageiro, podendo ser utilizados como genitores em programas de hibridação e indicados para compor futuros estudos

Production and selection of accessions of Opuntia spp. with resistance to false carmine cochineal

The genetic improvement program for Opuntia spp. aims to select new genotypes to meet the demands of rural producers in the Brazilian Semiarid region and to expand the genetic base of the crop. The aim of this study was to select accessions of Opuntia spp. with foraging potential and resistance to false cochineal carmine. The research was carried out at the Active Germplasm Bank (BAG) of Opuntia spp. of Paraíba Company Research, Rural Extension and Land Regularization (EMPAER), Pendência Experimental Station, Soledade, Paraíba, Brazil. Accessions were cultivated in rainfed and evaluated in August 2019, 12 months after the implementation of the BAG. The measurement of the Total Green Mass weight of the plants of 121 accessions of the BAG was carried out and the productivity (ton/ha-1) was estimated in a dense cultivation of 100 thousand plants/ha-1. The accessions of Opuntia spp. nº 10, 110, 115 and 119 have growing potential in the Brazilian Semiarid region, as a function of productivity (532.6, 118, 164 and 481 tons/ha-1, respectively) and resistance to false carmine cochineal, in addition to genetic divergence (specific agronomic characteristics) in relation to currently cultivated varieties.The genetic improvement program for Opuntia spp. aims to select new genotypes to meet the demands of rural producers in the Brazilian Semiarid region and to expand the genetic base of the crop. The aim of this study was to select accessions of Opuntia spp. with foraging potential and resistance to false cochineal carmine. The research was carried out at the Active Germplasm Bank (BAG) of Opuntia spp. of Paraíba Company Research, Rural Extension and Land Regularization (EMPAER), Pendência Experimental Station, Soledade, Paraíba, Brazil. Accessions were cultivated in rainfed and evaluated in August 2019, 12 months after the implementation of the BAG. The measurement of the Total Green Mass weight of the plants of 121 accessions of the BAG was carried out and the productivity (ton/ha-1) was estimated in a dense cultivation of 100 thousand plants/ha-1. The accessions of Opuntia spp. nº 10, 110, 115 and 119 have growing potential in the Brazilian Semiarid region, as a function of productivity (532.6, 118, 164 and 481 tons/ha-1, respectively) and resistance to false carmine cochineal, in addition to genetic divergence (specific agronomic characteristics) in relation to currently cultivated varieties

CHARACTERIZATION AND EARLY SELECTION OF SILK BLOSSOM (CALOTROPIS PROCERA) GENOTYPES WITH FORAGE POTENTIAL

This study aimed to characterize and select silk blossom genotypes (Calotropis procera) with forage potential. Between April and July 2014, we cultivated 89 genotypes in plastic tubes arranged in a randomized block design with three replications; each experimental plot was composed of 8 plants. The following characteristics were evaluated: plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), number of leaves (NL), total leaf area (TLA), leaf fresh mass (LFM), stem fresh mass (SFM), root fresh mass (RFM), leaf dry mass (LDM), stem dry mass (SDM), and root dry mass (RDM). Significant differences (p < 0.05) among genotypes were observed for all characteristics, except for NL at 45 and 60 days after sowing (DAS) and for RFM at 60 DAS. Broad-sense heritability estimates and genotype means had medium and high values for most characteristics. Genetic variability among C. procera genotypes was observed. High gain selection was found for the characteristics TLA, PH, SFM, LFM, SDM, and LDM as the genotypes 79, 65, 48, 12, 51, 35, 63, 25, 1, and 46 are suitable for future breeding works to improve forage production

GENETIC DIVERSITY AMONG Calotropis procera (Aiton) WT Aiton GENOTYPES ACCORDING TO SEED PHYSIOLOGICAL QUALITY

Characterizing genetic diversity based on evaluations involving germination and seed vigor, is a fundamental stage in starting the development of a cultivation system for Calotropis procera. Thus, this study aimed to estimate genetic diversity among 35 C. procera genotypes based on germination and vigor of seeds stored for 1 year. The genotypes, which originated from areas in Paraíba (Brazil), where they occur naturally, were collected and stored in March 2014. In order to evaluate the physiological potential of the seeds, two experiments were conducted between March and April 2015. The first involved a propagation test conducted in a germination chamber, while the second involved an emergence test in washed sand, performed in polyethylene trays in a screened environment under uncontrolled conditions. In both experiments, an entirely randomized design was used, with four repetitions of 25 seeds per genotype. The characteristics evaluated were germination, average daily germination, daily germination speed, the speed of germination index, the plantlet vigor index, emergence, the speed of emergence index, total length, and total dry mass. The results showed that genetic variability exists among the C. procera genotypes for variables involving germination and vigor of seeds stored for 1 year. Also, emergence, total dry plantlet mass, and germination characteristics contribute most to the genetic divergence among C. procera genotypes

GENETIC DIVERSITY AMONG Calotropis procera (Aiton) WT Aiton GENOTYPES ACCORDING TO SEED PHYSIOLOGICAL QUALITY

Characterizing genetic diversity based on evaluations involving germination and seed vigor, is a fundamental stage in starting the development of a cultivation system for Calotropis procera. Thus, this study aimed to estimate genetic diversity among 35 C. procera genotypes based on germination and vigor of seeds stored for 1 year. The genotypes, which originated from areas in Paraíba (Brazil), where they occur naturally, were collected and stored in March 2014. In order to evaluate the physiological potential of the seeds, two experiments were conducted between March and April 2015. The first involved a propagation test conducted in a germination chamber, while the second involved an emergence test in washed sand, performed in polyethylene trays in a screened environment under uncontrolled conditions. In both experiments, an entirely randomized design was used, with four repetitions of 25 seeds per genotype. The characteristics evaluated were germination, average daily germination, daily germination speed, the speed of germination index, the plantlet vigor index, emergence, the speed of emergence index, total length, and total dry mass. The results showed that genetic variability exists among the C. procera genotypes for variables involving germination and vigor of seeds stored for 1 year. Also, emergence, total dry plantlet mass, and germination characteristics contribute most to the genetic divergence among C. procera genotypes