QUALITY PARAMETERS IN PROPAGULES OF NATIVE AND INTRODUCED GRASSES HARVESTED IN DROUGHT

Abstract

The successful establishment of grasses in the pastures of the arid and semiarid regions of Mexico requires knowledge of the species present in these areas, as well as the quality of the propagules used. In order to evaluate the physical and physiological quality of propagules, thirteen species of forage grasses (10 native and three introduced species) were harvested in drought. The following variables were recorded in the harvested propagules of different species: volumetric weight (PH), weight of thousand seeds (P1000S) or diaspores and caryopses, number of caryopses in 100 twigs and/or spikelets, germination percentage, vigor and viability. Honest Significant Difference of Tukey (P < 0.05) compared means. Results for all the variables evaluated indicate that there were differences (P ≤ 0.001) between species and that there was variation in all the species evaluated, both in physical and physiological quality. The species with the highest number of caryopses were Eragrostis superba (Peyr), Bouteloua hirsuta (Kunth) Scribn, Bouteloua scorpioides Lag and Disakisperma dubium (Kunth), species that also presented the highest germination and viability percentages. The weeping grass and Giant grass had the highest PH and P1000S. Using caryopses increases germination, which will result in successful establishment in the field. In drought, low quality of the propagules evaluated was observed.