Forage yield of tetraploid bahiagrass hybrids

In Southern Brazil, much of the livestock activity is developed in native grasslands. Studies about forage traits, frost tolerance and nutritional value of native forage species there has been increasing with better results of productive efficiency (animal gain). The objective of this work was to evaluate forage yield of forty-five intraspecific hybrids of segregating progenies of bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) from agronomic analyses under greenhouse conditions and determine the reproduction mode of selected hybrids. The hybrids had great variability in all agronomic characteristics measured. The plants with the highest total dry mass production were 17PN10P3 and 17PN29P1 (sexual reproduction), 17PN10P5, 17PN16P3 and 17PN28P4 (apomictic reproduction). The high correlation of the total dry mass with tillers number and with the root dry mass demonstrate that the hybrids can be used as forage and also to reduce the effects of soil erosion in degraded areas. The evaluations of agronomic characteristics and the determination of the mode of reproduction of the selected hybrids allowed the identification of promising genetic materials for forage yield and to soil cover, selecting them for additional stages in the breeding program.