Brachiaria ruziziensis genotypes selection. I: Responses under different aluminum concentrations and ph values in nutritive solution

Abstract

The selection of aluminum tolerance tropical forage grass abundant in acid soil is an important step in a plant breeding program that aims to identify more productive Brachiaria ruziziensis genotypes with higher adaptability under stress conditions. It were developed studies aiming to evaluate the more adequated pH value by five genotypes of Brachiaria ruziziensis, congo signal grass, and the effect as crescent aluminum concentrations upon plant growth. pH values were: 4.5 ± 0,1 (in the first week), 4.5 ± 0,1 (in the beginning of the second week to the end of the experiment) and a control treatment without pH control and the aluminum concentrations were: 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 mg/L of Al. The following variables were evaluated. Dry matter yield of the aerial part and roots (MSPA and MSR), the increasing of aerial part (IPA) and roots (IR), expressed by the difference between the final and initial weight dry matter, rations between dry (MS) and green (MV) matter weight of the aerial part (MS/MV – PA) and root (MS/MV - R) as well as the numbers of tillers. Theincreasing aluminum concentration in nutrient solution had no effect in the increasing of the roots (IR) and dry root matter weight (MSR), the rations between dry (MS) and green (MV) root matter weight (MS/MV - R) and the numbers of tillers, affecting the other characteristics. The absence of pH control in the nutrient solution provided the smallest values for the characteristics, increasing of the roots (IR) and ration between dry (MS) and green (MV) matter weight of the aerial part (MS/MV – PA), while the other evaluated characteristics presented the largest values, when had no pH control and adjustment in the nutrient solution.