Genetic diversity analysis based on morphological characters in mulberry (Morus spp.)

Mulberry genetic resource is increasingly being recognized as one of the basic key component for sustainable silk production under changing climatic condition. In this investigation, analysis of multivariate was done to assess the diversity in 20 mulberry genotypes (includes indigenous and exotic) for leaf yield and its growth attributes. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed the presence of significant variation among genotypes for the parameters measured. Wide range and variance among the genotypes indicated the presence of variability for the traits on which selection can be practiced. For cluster analysis classified 20 genotypes into four divergent groups and greater genetic distance was detected among the members of cluster I and II and cluster II and III. The members of these divergent clusters may be combined in future breeding programmes to obtain genotypes with combined leaf yield and more branches per plant. The results showed that the germplasm having a wide genetic diversity thus the genotypes viz., BSRM64, BSRM66, BSRM63, BSRM65, BSRM45 and BSRM56 can serve as a promising donors for improving the leaf productivity of mulberry. J. bio-sci. 28: 111-119, 2020

Study on the Establishment Techniques for Dwarf Broussonetia papyrifera Fodder Forest

The establishment techniques for drawf Broussonetia papyrifera fodder forest were present and performed in order to reduce the labor cost and increase the economic benefits, and further the leaf production was estimated based on the field observation. Guided by the dwarfing techniques for B. papyrifera tree, the tree can be dwarfed through tip and lateral branch pruning at the planting year. The optimized tree form after dwarfing is a clumped form with about 1.5m height and about 2m×1m crown width. This tree form facilitates subsequent leaf collecting and further improves the work efficiency. The leaf of dwarf Broussonetia papyrifera fodder forest can be collected six times per year, and the leaf productivity can be reach over 100×103kg fresh weight per hectare.

Performance of ginger grass (Lippia alba) for traits related to the production of essential oil

Lippia alba (Verbenaceae) is a shrub whose essential oil has important biological, pharmacological, and aromatizing properties. To reach the sustained cultivation of new species with economic potential, the present study aimed to evaluate L. alba performance for fresh leaf matter (FM), leaf dry matter (DM), virus symptoms (VS - Cucumber mosaic virus, CMV), oil yield (OY), and oil chemical composition (OC), and to evaluate DM stability and adaptability. Ten genotypes of four chemical groups (chemotypes) were evaluated in six experiments designed as randomized blocks with two plants per plot, over the whole State of São Paulo, Brazil. A 2.0 x 0.4 x 1.6 m spacing was used in Monte Alegre do Sul and Pindorama, while a 1.0 x 0.4 x 0.6 m spacing was used in Campinas, where four experiments were established under different irrigation and fertilization conditions. The genotype effect was significant (p < 0.05) for all traits evaluated, with high leaf productivity of IAC-16 (citral chemotype), best OY means in the linalool and limonene/carvone chemotypes, and susceptibility of the latter chemotype to CMV. The genotype performance oscillations in the six environments were significant for FM and DM, and despite their significance for phytochemical traits (OY and OC), they were of low magnitude. No qualitative variation was detected for OC. The IAC-2 (linalool) and IAC-13 (limonene/carvone) genotypes showed high stability and wide adaptability, and are recommended to establish initial cultivations of this species. This research also indicated genetic sources to start Lippia alba genetic breeding programs.