Breeding potential of guar accessions from the VIR collection evaluated under the conditions of the Russian Federation

Background. Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.) is a leguminous crop plant of tropical origin that has gained unprecedented popularity in recent years due to the presence of gum in its seeds. The use of guar gum in the oil and gas industry gives the crop strategic importance. This was the reason for its introduction to the Russian Federation (RF) at the beginning of the 21st century and for the active breeding of domestic cultivars. The demand for the guar collection has increased dramatically, serving as an impetus for its active study.

Materials and methods. The materials of the study were guar accessions from the VIR collection: 50 accessions in 2023, and 30 most productive of them in 2024. The accessions were phenotyped for 13 traits important for breeding at Volgograd Experiment Station of VIR. The indicator of early maturity was assessed by indirect methods. Statistical processing of the research results was performed using the Statistica 13.3 software package.

Results. Seed productivity of guar accessions was analyzed, its structure and interrelations among its defining characteristics. Differentiation of the guar gene pool for the studied traits was revealed. The most productive accessions were identified. Previously obtained data on the relationship of guar collection accessions to the photoperiod served as a basis for proposing a modified algorithm for determining the photoperiod sensitivity of accessions as an indirect indicator of their earliness.

Conclusion. The data obtained for guar accessions from the VIR collection under the conditions of the Russian Federation will make it possible to use this germplasm effectively as source material for breeding domestic cultivars.

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