Proceedings of the XLVII Italian Society of Agricultural Genetics - SIGA Annual Congress

Verona, Italy - 24/27 September, 2003

ISBN 88-900622-4-X

Poster Abstract - 2.08

MORPHO-AGRONOMIC DIVERSITY IN A GROUP OF RECENT ELITE GRASSPEA (LATHYRUS SATIVUS L.) LINES

G. B. POLIGNANO*, P. UGGENTI*, V. ALBA*, V. BISIGNANO*, C. DELLA GATTA**

*) Istituto di Genetica Vegetale, C.N.R., Bari

**) Dipartimento di Biologia e Chimica Agroforestale ed Ambientale, Università di Bari, Bari

Lathyrus sativus L., breeding lines, evaluation, multivariate analyses

Field studies to evaluate the Bari collection of grass pea (Lathyrus spp.) were initiated in 1999 on 332 entries (Polignano et. al., 2001). Additional details of this study can be found in Granati et al. (2003), Bisignano et al. (2002) and Polignano et al. (2002). More recently a core collection for the Bari Lathyrus sativus germplasm collection was developed as a list of entries that will have priority for attention in grass pea genetic studies and breeding work (Polignano et al., 2003). From 332 total entries, core representing 12% of the collection was developed. Actually, the general objective of our evaluation program is to identify a core of improved lines with adequate diversity to fit the targeted needs of both breeders and farmers. According to this utilizing morpho-agronomic descriptors a representative survey on the diversity in a group of recent elite grasspea lines was performed. Using a randomized experimental design with two replications, forty-seven progenies of single plants (pure lines) characterized by white large seed, high yield and high biomass, that were selected from 25 entries belonging to the Bari grasspea core collection were evaluated. This kind of white large and yielding germplasm deserves special attention since it is high appreciated for consumers and farmers in Italy. The evaluation was carried out in a field trial in Matera (Basilicata region) during the 2001-2002. Seeds of each progeny were sown in a single row plot placed at a distance of 30 cm between each other on the row. A distance of 1.50 m was used between the rows. 5 plants were randomly identified in each plot and used to measure 16 morpho-agronomic and seed quality traits. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to estimate differences among the tested progenies. In particular, canonical variables were calculated based on all 9 quantitative traits and each qualitative trait as the classification variable in order to find out whether specific qualitative trait correspond to certain agronomical proprieties. In addition a hierarchical procedure it has been followed to define groups and to establish similarity and dissimilarity among progenies. The results from this evaluation show that the most promising lines could be used directly for production as new varieties and/or hybridization in the grasspea breeding program. Yield of these lines and their relative ranking or consistency in performance form the basis for recommendations to users.