CHARACTERIZATION AND BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION OF TWENTYTWO PEANUT LINES (Arachis hypogaea L.) EVALUATED IN ÑUBLE PROVINCE, CHILE

Abstract

There are no improved peanut cultivars (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Chile. Therefore, genotypes need to be evaluated in order to develop commercial varieties adapted to local conditions. The bjective of this study was to characterize and classify twenty-two advanced peanut lines according to their botanical and commercial variety, and adaptability in Ñuble Province, Chile. Twentythree morphological descriptors (17 quantitative and 6 qualitative) were evaluated, and data were analyzed by uni- and multivariate analyses. The results allowed classifying the lines into subspecies hypogaea var. hypogaea and fastigiata var. fastigiata. The former was divided in two subgroups: one consisting of lines 4, 15, 17, 18, 41, 42 (type Runner), and the other consisting of lines 3 and 8 (type
Virginia). Subsp. fastigiata var. fastigiata included lines 1, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 (type Valencia). Subsp. hypogaea has decumbent growing, alternate branching and fruits with two brown seeds. Subsp. fastigiata has erect growing, sequential branching and fruits with three red seeds. Lines 3, 18 and 20 showed better adaptability to local conditions in Ñuble Province, Chile.