Brachiaria Ruziziensis genotypes selection. II: Evaluation of the aluminum tolerance

Abstract

In acid soils, the aluminum is responsible for the low cultures productivity. The objective of this work was to evaluate the Brachiaria ruziziensis genetic variability for the aluminum tolerance.10 genotypes of that species were used, grown in vases with 0, 30 and 60 mg/L of aluminum in nutritious solution. A completely randomized design under 10 x 3 factorial, with six replicates. The following variables were evaluated: the green mass production of the aerial part and roots (MVPA and MVR), the dry matter production of the aerial part and roots (MSPA and MSR), the increment in the growth of the aerial part and of the roots (IPA and IR), expressed by the difference among the final growth and the initial, and the increment in the numbers of tillers (INP). The increase in the aluminum concentrations decreases for the averages of all the characteristics evaluated, excepting IR. The absence of differences of the genotype 8 for six characteristics, except for MVPA, demonstrates to be most promising for subsequent genetic breeding studies for larger productivity of the cultures in acid soils. The results evidenced the existence of genetic variability among the genotypes for the tolerance to the aluminum, being possible to identify more productive materials in the presence of that metal.