SAB 14: Castor bean cultivar for grain and castor-oil production

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) cultivars are needed with specific adaptation to environmental conditions in Durango and other states of the semi-arid highlands of México. The objective was to develop a castor cultivar adapted to irrigation conditions and favorable rainfall (>500 mm of accumulated rain), to produce high-quality grain and valuable castor-oil for the industry. The cultivar ‘SAB 14’ (SB-1 m-2 m-3 m-4u) was generated by mass selection from the heterogeneous population collected in Santiago Bayacora, Dgo. SAB 14 showed yields ranging from 2.1 to 2.9 t ha⁻¹ and an average oil content of 48%. In Durango 2020, SAB 14, compared to a commercial hybrid (378 cm), showed lower plant height (357 cm) and number of days to flowering (79 vs 90), longer primary raceme length (62 cm vs 38 cm), higher yield (2906 kg ha⁻¹ vs 1312 kg ha⁻¹), and higher 100-seed weight (46.2 g vs 44.1 g). SAB 14 is recommended mainly for irrigated areas of the Valle del Guadiana region in Durango, although it also showed adaptation in Aguascalientes. This castor cultivar represents an option for productive reconversion and reducing seed imports and cost. SAB 14 is currently used in Durango and other states for establishing demonstration plots to evaluate its adaptability, adoption possibilities, and potential to increase the yield and quality of grain, oil, protein cake, and biofuel.