Selection of the components of a synthetic variety of Andropogon gayanus

Abstract

Andropogon gayanus Kunth var. bisquamulatus Hack, is a polymorphic bunch grass, widely distributed throughout most of the tropical and subtropical savannahs of Africa, south of the Sahara in areas with a long dry season. This grass was introduced into the Colombian Llanos from the Shika Agricultural Research Station, northern Nigeria, in 1974. Subsequent to its introduction, a series of agronomic trials were initiated by Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) at the Carimagua Research Centre and various national research institutions in Latin America to evaluate the potential of A. gayanus, primarily in the vast Ultisol and Oxisol savannah regions of the continent. As a result of further evaluation at a number of locations, accession A. gayanus var. bisquamulatus CIAT 621 was released in 1980 in Brazil as cv. Flanaltina and in Colombia as cv. Carimagua 1. During 1982–3 Peru, Venezuela and Panama subsequently released the same accession under the cultivar names of San Martin, Sabanero and Veranero, respectively. It is estimated that 168000 ha have been sown with A. gayanus in Brazil since 1982 (J. E. Ferguson, C. Sere and R. de Andrade, personal communication). Smaller areas have been established in other countries.