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Isoenzymatic characterization of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum SCHUM.) germplasm

Eliane Augustin^I; Fernando Adami Tcacenco^II

^IEMBRAPA/CNPF, Caixa Postal 403, 96001-970 Pelotas, RS, Brasil. Send correspondence to E.A.
^IIEPAGRI/Centro de Tecnologia Agricola do Litoral Norte Catarinense, Caixa Postal 277, 88301-970 Itajaí, SC, Brasil

ABSTRACT

Leaf acid phosphatase and esterases of 58 accessions of Pennisetum purpureum Schum were compared by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A total of 15 alpha and beta-esterase polymorphic bands and 13 acid phosphatase bands were detected, all but one being polymorphic. Electrophoresis proved to be an efficient method to characterize elephant grass germplasm, since accessions could be separated into 23 groups. Despite morphological differences, no intracultivar variation was found in the electrophoretic patterns. In some cases accessions which bear the same cultivar name, obtained from different places, presented differences, probably due to varietal mixture.

Keywords: isoenzymatic characterization; elephant grass; germplasm.

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