Resumen

ECHEVERRIA, María L.; LEOFANTI, Gabriela A.; SANCHEZ, Gisele E.  y  ECHEVERRIA, María. M.. Phenotypic characterization of genotypes of two natural populations of Sorghastrum pellitum (Poaceae) from southeastern Buenos Aires. Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. [online]. 2021, vol.56, n.4, pp.513-531. ISSN 1851-2372.  http://dx.doi.org/10.31055/1851.2372.v56.n4.33811.

Background and aims: Sorghastrum pellitum is a potentially ornamental grass species native to South America. Due to the demand for new native species by the floricultura market it is important to know if plants of this taxon can thrive under cultivation conditions and if they present variability for vegetative and/or reproductive attributes that make it possible to select genotypes to include in the market. The objective of this work was to characterize genotypes derived from two populations of S. pellitum that grow in mountainous areas of the southeastern Tandilia Hills (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina).

M&M: Six genotypes of each population were used to obtain clones that were transferred to pots and grown outdoors. Variables related to transplant survival, morphology and phenology were recorded in two successive growing seasons.

Results: Intra- and inter-population variability was detected for transplant survival, morphological characters, duration of phenological stages and flowering time.

Conclusions: The implantation capacity under cultivation conditions and the morphological and phenological variability detected in this work suggest that this species could be included in breeding programs to obtain cultivars for subsequent use in landscaping. On the other hand, differences found between what was recorded in this work and what is found in the literature highlight the need to analyze a large number of specimens from different areas of its distribution when making taxonomic descriptions of this species, and to consider the existence of interspecific hybrids.

Palabras clave : Biodiversity; conservation; native plant genetic resources; ornamental grasses; phenology; plant breeding.