Rescuing the Brazilian Agave breeding program: morphophysiological and molecular characterization of a new germplasm

Abstract

Agaves have been a valuable resource in dryland areas for centuries, providing fibers (sisal), food, and beverages. However, the advent of synthetic fibers has led to a decrease in research on Agave, resulting in the cessation of breeding programs in Brazil. With the rise of climate change, there is renewed interest in Agave for its potential as a biofuel feedstock in semiarid regions. Since 2016, we have been collecting Agave accessions throughout the country and retrieving what is left of Brazil’s original breeding program to establish a new germplasm bank. Here, we evaluated 21 of those accessions growing in the field. We used molecular markers and morphophysiological traits to characterize the plants. Based on the Mayahuelin molecular marker, we were able to reconstruct a phylogeny for the Brazilian accessions. The morphophysiological traits explained 34.6% of the phenotypic variation in the dataset, with physiological traits such as leaf water content, effective quantum efficiency of photosystem II (ΦPSII), and specific leaf mass (SLM) as the most significant traits. Specifically, we evaluated nine Agave species and found that the physiological traits, rather than the morphological ones, were the most significant. Leaf water content was negatively correlated with specific leaf mass, which could be used as a marker for selecting cultivars with higher biomass accumulation. Interestingly, ΦPSII and chlorophyll content were negatively correlated, suggesting photochemical adaptations throughout the rosette. Molecular and phenotypic data suggest that A. amaniensis, which is frequently considered a synonym of A. sisalana, is effectively another species. Overall, this study provides valuable information on the physiological traits of Brazilian Agave accessions and is a starting point for selecting more productive and climate-resilient cultivars for biorenewables production.

Molecular epidemiology of sisal bole rot disease suggests a potential phytosanitary crisis in Brazilian production areas

“…From the 1950s-80s, the Agronomic Institute (IAC) was the country's leader in the development of new Agave cultivars (Medina, 1954;Medina, 1956;Medina, 1959;Ciaramello et al, 1975;Azzini and Ciaramello, 1977;Salgado et al, 1979;Raya et al, 2023). However, with the lack of investment and the retirement of the leading researchers, there was no continuity of this program (Raya et al, 2021;Raya et al, 2023). Currently, there is no sisal varietal control in Brazil and producers are not concerned with this topic.…”

Amazon Natural Fibers for Application in Engineering Composites and Sustainable Actions: A Review

“…Within this context, waste management brings benefits to both organizations and society, promoting the commercialization of these materials and generating income through recycling and sustainability practices [16]. This is highly advantageous, considering that Brazil is currently one of the main producers of various natural fibers, thanks to the great diversity of these materials in the country, especially those originating from the Amazon [34][35][36].…”