Abstract

RIVERA-HERRERA, Julián Esteban et al. Phases of development and propagation of outstanding ecotypes of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray. Rev. mex. de cienc. pecuarias [online]. 2021, vol.12, n.3, pp.811-827.  Epub Mar 14, 2022. ISSN 2448-6698.  https://doi.org/10.22319/rmcp.v12i3.5720.

The efficient propagation of plant species with high food potential plays a fundamental role in their adoption and use by producers. It is important, therefore, to develop economical and rapid methods for the successful establishment of more productive systems. In order to know some reproductive aspects of different outstanding genotypes of T. diversifolia and thus favor its propagation and improve its use in animal feeding, its germination potential, seed production and duration of the reproductive cycle were evaluated. Forty-two (42) plots were used in a randomized complete block design with seven genotypes of T. diversifolia and two levels (without and with fertilization). Genotypes had differences in all agronomic and seed production variables except for achene drying time and rudimentary seed percentage (P<0.01). In relation to the production of true seed, fertilization had a significant effect (P<0.05) and, in general, increased the time of the phases evaluated. The highest seed production occurred in genotypes 7 and 5 and the percentage of germination had significant differences between genotypes and between pre-germinative treatments (P= 0.0001) with higher percentages in genotypes 3 and 6. It is concluded that despite the low viability of the true seed of T. diversifolia, there are genotypes with a greater potential for seed production and germination percentage, parameters that can be improved by means of pre-germinative treatments and the use of fertilizers.

Keywords : Reproductive phase; Germination; Plant propagation; True seed; Seed viability.