Abstract

MACHADO, R. Morphological and productive characterization of Jatropha curcas L. provenances. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2011, vol.34, n.3, pp. 267-279. ISSN 0864-0394.

The objective of this work was to characterize the morphological and productive variability of Jatropha curcas provenances. For that purpose the following indicators were measured or estimated: height; diameter of primary branches and stem; height of the first branch; diseases; number of primary, secondary and tertiary branches; fruit number and weight; seed yield; weight of 100 seeds; seed size and oil content. In order to interpret the results PCA and cluster analysis were used. Height was the most variable indicator, followed by diameter of primary branches, number of secondary and primary branches and stem diameter, which accounted for 57,7% of the variability. Based on these indicators six groups were formed. The highest values, in all morphological indicators, were found in group I (SSCS-3), and the lowest ones in group IV (SSCS-7 and SSCS-6). Only six from the ten seeded provenances produced fruits; while the planted ones did it in all cases. Among the seeded ones the following stood out: San Miguel, D-1 and SSCS-3, with estimated yields of 2 325; 243 and 169 kg of seed/ha; and in the planted ones: Cabo Verde, SSCE-10 and SSCE-7 with 814; 327 and 93,2 kg of seed/ha, respectively. In SSCE-10 and Cabo Verde the oil percentage reached 32,8 and 35,0%, respectively. The results allowed identifying the outstanding provenances, in the morphological (SSCS-3) as well as the productive indicators (Cabo Verde, SSCE-10 and San Miguel).

Keywords : Characterization; Jatropha curcas L; provenance.