Variation in Floral Morphology and Seed Production of Buffel and Rhodes Grass

The use of diversity implies knowing characteristics and traits of interest in genetic resources. In forages, the ability to produce seeds is essential to the persistence of cultivars in livestock systems. To study the floral variability and seed yield, ۱۷ genotypes of Chloris gayana Kunth and ۱۴ genotypes of Cenchrus ciliaris L. were evaluated. These genotypes were characterized considering floral morphology and total seed yield parameters. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used. In C. gayana, accessions ۷۷۵۷, ۶۶۳۱, ۹۸۱ and ۷۷۵۷ presented the highest (P< ۰.۰۵) Number of Inflorescences per Plant (NIP, ۲۶.۴۳), number of Spikes per Inflorescence (S/I, ۱۰.۷۳), Weight of Thousand Seeds (WTS, ۰.۵۲ g) and Total Seed Production (TSP, ۲۳۵.۶۹ kg ha-۱), respectively. In C. ciliaris, accessions ۱۵۶۸۷ (۲۸.۶۷) and ۱۰۹۸ (۲۴.۳۳) presented the highest values (P< ۰.۰۵) for NIP. Accessions ۷۷۷ (۱۵۱.۳۳) and ۶۶۴۲ (۱۵۰.۶۷) had the highest (P< ۰.۰۵) Number of Seeds by Inflorescences (NSI) and genotypes ۶۶۵۲ (۰.۲۳۸ g), ۱۵۶۸۷ (۰.۲۰۷ g), ۱۶۶۶۰ (۰.۲۱۵ g) had the highest (P< ۰.۰۵) Weight of one Hundred Seeds (WHS). Finally, accessions ۶۶۵۲ (۲۱۰.۹۳) and ۱۰۹۸ (۱۸۸.۵۵) had the highest (P< ۰.۰۵) TSP. The genotypes of C. gayana and C. ciliaris indicated an important morphology variation. Likewise, higher seed production, which is associated with genetic variability, can be an attribute to be considered during the selection of materials in forage breeding programs, as a complement to traditional evaluation characteristics.

Keywords:

Chloris gayana Kunth , Cenchrus ciliaris L. , Caryopsis , Genetic variability , Caribbean conditions