Karyotype asymmetry in Cynodon Rich. (Poaceae) accessions.

Cynodon is a genus of plants with forage potential that has attracted the interest of breeders. These species have high morphological variability in a large number of varieties and cytotypes, hampering identification. This study aimed to determine the karyotype asymmetry index among accessions of Cynodon to discriminate between them. Karyotype symmetry was based on three estimates, which were compared. The basic number for the genus is x = 9. The results of the chromosome count and DNA quantification, respectively, were as follows: two diploid accessions (2n = 2x = 18 and 1.08 ± 0.094 to 1.17 ± 0.036 pg DNA and ± standard deviation), one triploid accession (2n = 3x = 27 and 1.63 ± 0.017 pg DNA), four tetraploid accessions (2n = 4x = 36 and 1.88 ± 0.069 to 2.10 ± 0.07 pg DNA), and one pentaploid accession (2n = 5x = 45 and 2.55 ± 0.098 pg DNA). C. incompletus var. hirsutus had the longest total length of the haploid lot (29.05 µm), with chromosomes that ranged from 1.7 to 6.2 µm in length. On the basis of the karyotype asymmetry indices, the accessions were divided into two groups: 1) C. dactylon var. dactylon, C. transvaalensis, C. dactylon var. polevansii, three accessions of Cynodon sp, and C. nlemfuensis; and 2) C. incompletus var. hirsutus. This is the first description of tetraploidy in C. transvaalensis. The karyotypic data facilitated a determination of the degree of proximity between the accessions.

Microsporogenesis analysis validates the use of artificially tetraploidized Brachiaria ruziziensis in breeding programs.

The genus Brachiaria contains species that have great economic importance in the Brazilian agricultural sector, as they enable cattle ranching on acid and poor soils with species that are resistant to spittlebugs and form crop-livestock-forest integration systems. The genus mainly consists of tetraploid (2n = 4x = 36) and apomictic species such as B. decumbens and B. brizantha. Sexuality is found in diploid species (2n = 2x = 18) such as B. ruziziensis. Interspecific hybridization between species of interest is possible by the artificial tetraploidization of B. ruziziensis and the subsequent hybridization with genotypes of B. brizantha and B. decumbens. Therefore, tetraploidized plants have to have normal meiosis or low rates of irregularities, as well as produce viable pollen grains. The objective of this study was to compare meiosis and pollen grain viability and morphology in artificially tetraploidized B. ruziziensis with that of descendants generated from crossing and selfing. The frequency of meiotic abnormalities ranged from 4.43 to 11%, and pollen viability ranged from 61 to 85%. Abnormalities were detected from prophase I to the tetrad stage with a variable frequency between the genotypes. The meiotic behavior of the artificially tetraploidized plants was little affected, and the pollen viability of the genotypes was high. Regarding pollen grain ultrastructure, there were no variations or morphological changes in the different genotypes. The genotypes have meiotic stability and high pollen viability, and can be incorporated into Brachiaria breeding programs.

Phenotypic characteristics for discrimination between advanced genotypes of Brachiaria ruziziensis.

The aim of this study was to use multivariate methods and Pearson and partial correlations to disregard phenotypic characteristics that contribute little to differentiation between Brachiaria ruziziensis genotypes. Eighty-one genotypes of B. ruziziensis were assessed in completely randomized blocks with three replications. Ten phenotypic characteristics were assessed: plant height, leaf length, leaf width, sheath length, length of the flower stem, length of the inflorescence axis, number of racemes per inflorescence, length of the basal raceme, number of spikelets per basal raceme, and width of the rachis. The best traits for differentiation between genotypes were determined by assessing relative contribution to diversity, canonical variables, as well as Pearson and partial correlations. Four canonical variables were found to account for 57% of the overall variation, while plant height, sheath length, and number of racemes per inflorescence were considered traits that could potentially be disregarded in future assessments.