Introduced and registered switchgrass varieties (Panicum virgatum L.) as a source material for breeding for biomass productivity

Abstract

Purpose. On the basis of multi-year research on the complex of economically valuable characteristics, the best switchgrass varieties (Panicum virgatum L.) ‘Patfinder’, ‘Carthage’, ‘Blackwell’, ‘Morozko’, ‘Liadovske’ and ‘Zoriane’ were singled out as a source material for breeding for productivity. Methods. The research was conducted during 2017–2021 on the basis of the Poltava State Agrarian University. The soils of the experimental site of the “Energy Crops” collection are typical chernozems with a humus content of 3.4%. Plots were planted with randomized placement of options in four-fold repetition according to the methods of experimental work in agronomy. Also, approved scientific-practical and methodical recommendations for growing energy crops were applied. To confirm the significant difference between the studied varieties, dispersion analysis using Excel and Statistica programs was used. Results. Switchgrass varieties were grouped according to the duration of the growing season into: early- (up to 160 days), medium- (161–171 days) and late ripening (more than 170 days). The complex resistance of switchgrass varieties to drought, frost and plant lodging: ‘Cave-in-Rock’, ‘Zoriane’, ‘Morozko’ and ‘Liadovske’ was revealed. It was determined that economically valuable characteristics depend to a greater extent on varietal characteristics than on growing conditions. The yield of ground vegetative mass based on dry residue for the studied varie­ties varied from 12.1 to 15.6 t/ha. Сonclusions. The varieties ‘Cave-in-Rock’, ‘Zoriane’, ‘Morozko’, ‘Liadovske’ were the most adaptable to growing conditions. The switchgrass varieties ‘Kanlow’ and ‘Cave-in-rock’ provided the highest plant stand and switchgrass variety ‘Dacotah’ provided the lowest plant stand. Varieties ‘Pathfinder’, ‘Blackwell’, ‘Shelter’, ‘Carthage’ and ‘Zoriane’ were singled out according to the number of stems and productivity. The latter, together with the Ukrainian variety ‘Zoriane’, are recommended to be used as starting material for crop selection based on biomass productivity.