Genetic variability in Brazilian castor (Ricinus communis) germplasm assessed by morphoagronomic traits and gray mold reaction

Abstract

The characterization and conservation of castor accessions in germplasm bank are essential in order to breeding programs achieve its goals. Despite Brazil having the 4 th largest castor germplasm bank in the world, castor diversity in Brazil remains little explored. Thus, this study aimed at characterize castor accessions collected in different Brazilian regions by means of 31 morphoagronomic traits and gray mold reaction. Forty accessions of the Universidade do Estado de São Paulo (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil, germplasm bank were evaluated. Genetic parameters were estimated for the quantitative traits, and the accessions were grouped by Ward method using the standardized Euclidean distance and the simple coincidence index for quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative traits were important to understand and differentiate castor accessions. The accessions showed a high variation regarding the castor gray mold reaction. The accessions assessed in this study have been preserved and can be used as a source for genetic variability in the development of new castor varieties in breeding programs.

Genetic parameters, prediction of selection gains and genetic diversity in Andropogon lateralis Nees ecotypes

“…(Jesus et al, 2022), Pinus bungeana (Tian et al, 2022), Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Dang et al, 2022), and Zea mays L. (Badu-Apraku et al, 2021). This technique allows the most important traits for diversity studies and promising genotypes for crosses to be identified (Oliveira Neto et al, 2021).…”

“…However, current evaluations have been focusing on a restricted set of genetic parameters. Studies that can characterize genetic diversity are important for the conservation and use of genetic resources in breeding programs (Oliveira Neto et al, 2021). In native perennial species, when the objective is to select progenitors, the use of mixed models is a strategy to improve selection efficiency (Meier et al, 2021;Silveira et al, 2022;Silveira et al, 2023).…”

Morphological, Genetic Characterization, and Chemical Analysis of Castor Bean ( Ricinus communis ) Growing in Riyadh Saudi Arabia

“…Color descriptors for the prickles, seeds, stigma, and stem showed high genetic variability, which is likely because these characteristics were not essential during the domestication process [28]. Understanding and distinguishing castor accessions required both qualitative and quantitative characteristics [29]. 574 accessions were chosen and genotyped with 22 polymorphic EST-SSR markers based on the screening results for oil content, fatty acid composition, and country of origin.…”