Publication Date
1989
Description
Macroptilium atropurpureum (DC.) Orb. is a twining tropical forage legume. The only commercial cultivar, Siratro, has been tested worldwide in the tropics and subtropics (Krestschmer, 1972; Kretschmer et al., 1985). Since the genetic base for this hybrid was narrow, a good possibility exists to find better agronomic qualities such as persistence, higher yield, greater seed production, and pest resistance within a wider base of germ plasm. To determine the diversity of the species, introduction of germplasm from many of the world's tropical forage germplasm banks was begun in the late 1970s and as many of the available entries as possible were assembled. Most were collected in Mexico with the remainder collected in Central and South America (Kretschmer, 1988; Kretschmer et al., 1987). Attributes of 84 accessions were compared with Siratro in a single plant experiment at the ARECFP in 1982-84 (Kretschmer et al., 1985). Two additional and similar experiments were con- . ducted with 41 (1984-86) and 177 (1986-88) accessions. Siratro was used as the control in each test. Yields, leaf area data, and flowering characteristics are presented for the three experiments.
Citation
Kretschmer, A E. Jr; Sonoda, R M.; and Wilson, T C., "Yield, Flowering Pattern and Leaf Area Diversity in Macroptilium atropurpureum (Dc.) Urb." (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 37.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session3/37
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Yield, Flowering Pattern and Leaf Area Diversity in Macroptilium atropurpureum (Dc.) Urb.
Macroptilium atropurpureum (DC.) Orb. is a twining tropical forage legume. The only commercial cultivar, Siratro, has been tested worldwide in the tropics and subtropics (Krestschmer, 1972; Kretschmer et al., 1985). Since the genetic base for this hybrid was narrow, a good possibility exists to find better agronomic qualities such as persistence, higher yield, greater seed production, and pest resistance within a wider base of germ plasm. To determine the diversity of the species, introduction of germplasm from many of the world's tropical forage germplasm banks was begun in the late 1970s and as many of the available entries as possible were assembled. Most were collected in Mexico with the remainder collected in Central and South America (Kretschmer, 1988; Kretschmer et al., 1987). Attributes of 84 accessions were compared with Siratro in a single plant experiment at the ARECFP in 1982-84 (Kretschmer et al., 1985). Two additional and similar experiments were con- . ducted with 41 (1984-86) and 177 (1986-88) accessions. Siratro was used as the control in each test. Yields, leaf area data, and flowering characteristics are presented for the three experiments.
