Early selection and classification of yerba mate progênies

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of early selection of open-pollinated yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) progenies, and to classify the best parents and candidates for clones. The germplasm is composed of 140 progenies collected from areas within the natural distribution of the species in Southern Brazil and a commercial genotype (control). The experiment was established in Ivaí, in the state of Paraná, Brazil, in March 1997, in randomized complete blocks, with ten replicates, and linear plots of six plants. The commercial mass (kg per plant) of leaves and branches smaller than 7 mm was harvested at 2.5, 4.5, 6.5, and 18.7 years of age. The statistical evaluation was performed using the mixed model procedure with restricted maximum likelihood/best linear unbiased prediction, using the Selegen software. High selective accuracy, significant progeny effects, and genetic variability for commercial mass production were observed for the four harvesting ages. The application of early selection for leaf mass production is feasible for yerba mate progenies harvested at 6.5 years. The selection of the best trees, either for use as parents or as candidates for cloning, provides significant gains for the genetic breeding of yerba mate.

Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improves Growth and Photosynthesis of Ilex paraguariensis (St. Hil) Seedlings

“…Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil) is a native woody tree from Araucaria Forest (Mixed Ombrophilous Forest) in South America [1,2], cultivated in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil, where its leaves are ground and have been used to produce a tea beverage widely consumed locally [3].…”

Genetic improvement of Ilex paraguariensis in western Santa Catarina State: estimate of phenotypic and genetic parameters

“…Based field evaluations and the results of genetic-statistical analyzes for the traits at two (height and crown diameter) and three years old (visually estimated biomass, weighed biomass and thick branch mass), it is recommended to continue evaluating these experiments in the coming years. These considerations are also based on the evaluation of feasibility of early selection for yerba mate performed by Wendling et al (2018). In this case, early selection is effective at 6.5 years for the trait commercial biomass of leaves and branches smaller than 7 mm.…”