Abstract

MINON, Daniel  and  GALLEGO, Juan. Comportamiento de cultivares diploides y tetraploides de Chloris gayana Kunt (grama Rhodes) al sur del paralelo 40º en condiciones de riego. RIA. Rev. investig. agropecu. [online]. 2020, vol.46, n.1, pp.66-72. ISSN 1669-2314.

The C. species are undergoing a process of expansion in the different regions of the country, including NOA, NEA, pampean and central semi-arid region. In the northern patagonia exploratory works showed promising behavior of Rhodes grass. In the Lower Black River Valley (40º48’LS) the performance of diploid and tetraploid cultivars of Rhodes grass under conditions of irrigation, mechanical cutting and fertilization were evaluated. The cultivars were Callide, Epica Peman INTA and Toro (tetraploids), Fine Cut, Top Cut, Katambora, Tolga and Santana INTA Peman (diploids). In the first cycle, two cuts were made and the most productive cultivars were composed of diploids (Fine Cut and Top Cut) and tetraploids (Callide and Epic). In spring of the second cycle Callide, Epic and Toro did not regrow. Fine Cut and Top Cut were the most productive accumulating around 10 t DM ha -1 during two growth cycles, Santana and Tolga produced between 6.5 and 7.5 t. None of the varieties survived the frost of the second winter. It is considered that the Rhodes grass did not adapt to the northern patagonia conditions of cold temperate valleys due to their short persistence and harvest period.

Keywords : C₄ grasses; forage; norpatagonia; Río Negro.